The pathology of the anterior capsule in patients over forty years of age with recurrent shoulder dislocation.

Abstract

We evaluated the pathologies of anterior capsular mechanism in older patients with recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation in the absence of full-thickness rotator cuff tears. Three hundred and ninety-five shoulders with recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation were assessed. The patients were divided into three groups by the age at the first dislocation and the surgical treatment: group A (onset and treatment were at an age over 40 years), group B (onset was at an age under 40 years and treatment was at an age over 40 years) and group C (onset and treatment were at an age under 40 years). Groups A, B and C involved nine, 31 and 355 shoulders, respectively. The prevalence of an isolated Bankart lesion was 81.7 % in group C, 33.3 % in group A and 64.5 % in group B, and each of A and B was significantly lower than group C. The prevalence of an isolated capsular tear was 3.1 % in group C, while it was 33.3 % in group A, which was significantly higher. The prevalence of an isolated Bankart lesion was low and the prevalence of a capsular tear was high in older patients. We should keep in mind the existence of a capsular tear in older patients and examine the whole anterior capsular mechanism meticulously.