Shoulder Stabilization Procedures Research Articles

Quantification of the passive behavior of the glenohumeral joint: A biomechanical study

Shoulder stabilization and arthroplasty procedures aim to restore the complex motion innate to the glenohumeral joint relying on proper tensioning of the surrounding soft-tissues at the time of surgery. Joint instability remains a leading cause for revisions of these procedures necessitating a deeper understanding of the passive constraint of the intact glenohumeral joint. The current literature lacks comprehensive analysis of the passive glenohumeral joint in all degrees-of-freedom (DOF). The objective of the present study is to better understand this complex joint by quantifying the passive laxity of the glenohumeral joint in multiple DOFs over a range of motion. Sixteen fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders were tested in the intact state using a robotic simulator capable of six-DOF motion. The limits of range of motion was quantified in separate laxity tests applying a ± 2 Nm internal-external (IE) torque, ±20 N anterior-posterior (AP) force, ±20 N superior-inferior (SI) force and a 44 N distraction force at six levels of glenohumeral abduction. Overall, glenohumeral joint laxity was greatest between 15° and 45° of abduction except for SI translation which increased with abduction. IE rotation and AP translation were dominated by external rotation and anterior translation, respectively. Although early abduction and late abduction produced similar laxities, the increase in laxity in the mid abduction range indicates it is important to assess the shoulder joint throughout the range of motion and not just at these two end points. The presented laxity data establishes a baseline for intact shoulder laxity over a range of motion in multiple DOFs under known loading conditions.

The incidence of subclinical infection in patients undergoing revision shoulder stabilization surgery: a retrospective chart review

Shoulder instability continues to be a common problem that is difficult to treat. Part of this difficulty can be attributed to the numerous postoperative complications that can impact the clinical course. Our study aims to primarily identify the incidence of subclinical infection in patients undergoing revision shoulder stabilization surgery and secondarily identify any risk factors for developing a subclinical infection. From January 2012 to December 2022, 94 charts of patients who underwent revision surgery by the senior author after a previous arthroscopic or open stabilization surgery for shoulder instability were reviewed. All patients of any age who underwent either bony or soft tissue revision surgery, regardless of the number of previous surgeries or corticosteroid injections, were included. Patients were excluded if they had a previous infection in the shoulder, if there was no record of the procedures performed in the previous surgery, or if cultures were not available for review. For each patient, demographic information (age, sex, race, smoking status, previous corticosteroid injections, malnutrition, renal failure, liver failure, diabetes mellitus, immunocompromised status, and intravenous drug use), surgical information (procedures performed, type of surgery, and date of surgery), and culture results were recorded. Overall, 107 patients were included in our study. Twenty-nine patients (27.1%) had positive cultures (60 cultures in total). Twenty-six patients had positive Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) cultures. On average, C. acnes cultures took 10.65 days to turn positive, whereas 24 of 27 patients had cultures that were positive within 14 days of the culture being obtained. There was no difference in infection incidence rates between soft tissue and bony stabilization procedures (P=.86) or arthroscopic and open procedures (P=.59). Males were more than 5 times more likely than females to be culture positive in our cohort (93.1% vs. 73.1%, relative risk [RR]=1.27, P=.03). Finally, 10 control cultures were taken from the operating room air environment (8 distinct surgeries had 1 control culture taken, whereas 1 surgery had 2), 2 of which were positive for C. acnes (both taken from the same patient operation). This patient had their shoulder cultures positive for C. acnes as well. More than a quarter of patients requiring revision surgery after shoulder stabilization procedures have a subclinical shoulder infection, with males being at a higher risk of developing an infection than females. Surgeons should always consider infection as a reason for the lack of clinical improvement and possibly needing revision surgery after shoulder stabilization. The prompt diagnosis and treatment of these infections could be vital in improving results after these surgeries.

Resident Involvement in Shoulder-Stabilization Procedures Is Not Associated With an Increased Risk of 30-Day Postoperative Complications

To examine the 30-day postoperative outcomes of resident involvement in shoulder-stabilization surgical procedures using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement database. We conducted a retrospective review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement database for all shoulder-stabilization procedures from 2010 to 2018. Procedures included arthroscopic Bankart, arthroscopic Bankart with SLAP repair, arthroscopic Bankart with Remplissage, open Bankart, anterior bone block, posterior bone block, Latarjet coracoid process transfer, and capsular shift/capsulorrhaphy for multidirectional instability. Data included preoperative demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day postoperative outcomes. Cases were categorized into 2 groups: "attending alone" and "attending and resident." Statistical analysis comparing groups on demographics and comorbidities included independent t-test for continuous variables and Pearson χ2 or Fischer exact for categorical variables. A logistic regression model including propensity score was used to calculate adjusted odds ratio for outcomes. A total of 3,954 patients undergoing shoulder-stabilization procedures were included in the study and 28.8% of patients had a resident involved intheir procedure. Residents were more likely to be involved in procedure for patients who were of minority ethnicity (P<.001), a lower body mass index (P < .001) and less likely to have a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P= .029). Resident involvement resulted in statistically significant longer total operation time (91 vs 85 minutes, P < .001). In terms of postsurgical outcomes, complication rates were low for both groups (∼0.8%). Resident involvement was not associated with any significant increase in 30-day postsurgical complications. Our results show that resident involvement in shoulder-stabilization surgery is associated with a significant increase in operative time without any significant increase in 30-day postsurgical complications. Level III, retrospective comparative study.

The Glenoid Track Paradigm Does Not Reliably Affect Military Surgeons’ Approach to Managing Shoulder Instability

To report the frequencies of surgical stabilization procedures performed by military shoulder surgeons and to use decision tree analysis to describe how bipolar bone loss affects surgeons' decision to perform arthroscopic versus open stabilization procedures. The Military Orthopaedics Tracking Injuries and Outcomes Network (MOTION) database was queried for anterior shoulder stabilization procedures from 2016 to 2021. A nonparametric decision tree analysis was used to generate a framework for classifying surgeon decision making based on specified injury characteristics (labral tear location, glenoid bone loss [GBL], Hill-Sachs lesion [HSL] size, and on-track vs off-track HSL). A total of 525 procedures were included in the final analysis, with a mean patient age of 25.9 ± 7.2 years and a mean GBL percentage of 3.6% ± 6.8%. HSLs were described based on size as absent (n= 354), mild (n= 129), moderate (n= 40), and severe (n= 2) and as on-track versus off-track in 223 cases, with 17% (n= 38) characterized as off-track. Arthroscopic labral repair (n= 428, 82%) was the most common procedure, whereas open repair (n= 10, 1.9%) and glenoid augmentation (n= 44, 8.4%) were performed infrequently. Decision tree analysis identified a GBL threshold of 17% or greater that resulted in an 89% probability of glenoid augmentation. Shoulders with GBL less than 17% combined with a mild or absent HSL had a 95% probability of an isolated arthroscopic labral repair, whereas a moderate or severe HSL resulted in a 79% probability of arthroscopic repair with remplissage. The presence of an off-track HSL did not contribute to the decision-making process as defined by the algorithm and data available. Among military shoulder surgeons, GBL of 17% or greater is predictive of a glenoid augmentation procedure whereas HSL size is predictive of remplissage for GBL less than 17%. However, the on-track/off-track paradigm does not appear to affect military surgeons' decision making. Level III, retrospective cohort study.

On the Rise: The Increasing Frequency of Pediatric Shoulder Stabilization Surgery in Children and Adolescents.

The management of shoulder instability in children and adolescents continues to evolve. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of shoulder stabilization procedures in a large, nationally representative pediatric population. The Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database was queried for patients 18 years and younger undergoing surgical shoulder stabilization between 2008 and 2017. Patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery were compared with patients undergoing complex (open or bony augment stabilization) procedures. Annual trends were calculated using linear regression. A total of 3925 procedures were performed, of which 92.9% were arthroscopic Bankart repairs. There was a significant increase in overall pediatric shoulder stabilizations and arthroscopic repairs between 2008 and 2017. Complex procedures were performed most often in the Northeast, but the annual frequency did not increase nationally. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(3):e167-e172.].

Anterior Shoulder Instability and Open Procedures: History, Indications, and Clinical Outcomes.

The shoulder, being the most mobile joint in the human body, is often susceptible to dislocations and subluxations more so than other joints. As such, shoulder instability constitutes a common complaint among patients worldwide, especially those who are young, participate in contact sports, and have increased innate flexibility in their joints. Management options in the setting of instability vary between conservative and surgical options that aim to mitigate symptoms and allow return of function. Surgical options can be arthroscopic and open, with a general shift among surgeons towards utilizing arthroscopic surgery in the past several decades. Nevertheless, open procedures still play a role in managing shoulder instability patients, especially those with significant bone loss, recurrent instability, coexisting shoulder pathologies, and high risk of failure with arthroscopic surgery. In these clinical settings, open procedures, like the Latarjet procedure, open Bankart repair, glenoid bone augmentation using iliac crest autograft or distal tibial allograft, and salvage options like glenohumeral arthrodesis and arthroplasty may show good clinical outcomes and low recurrence rates. Each of these open procedures possesses its own set of advantages and disadvantages and entails a specific set of indications based on published literature. It is important to cater treatment options to the individual patient in order to optimize outcomes and reduce the risk of complications. Future research on open shoulder stabilization procedures should focus on the long-term outcomes of recently utilized procedures, investigate different graft options for procedures involving bone augmentation, and conduct additional comparative analyses in order to establish concrete surgical management guidelines.

Social and Demographic Factors Impact Shoulder Stabilization Surgery in Anterior Glenohumeral Instability

PurposeTo assess independent predictors of surgery after an emergency department visit for shoulder instability, including patient-related and socioeconomic factors.MethodsPatients presenting to the emergency department were identified in the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database from 2015 to 2018 by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes for anterior shoulder dislocation or subluxation. All shoulder stabilization procedures in the outpatient setting were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes (23455, 23460, 23462, 23466, and 29806). A multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of patient factors on the likelihood of receiving surgery. The variables included in the analysis were age, sex, race, social deprivation, Charlson Comorbidity Index, recurrent dislocation, and primary insurance type.ResultsIn total, 16,721 patients with a shoulder instability diagnosis were included in the analysis and 1,028 (6.1%) went on to have surgery. Patients <18 years old (odds ratio [OR] 8.607, P < .0001), those with recurrent dislocations (OR 2.606, P < .0001), or worker’s compensation relative to private insurance (OR 1.318, P = .0492) had increased odds of receiving surgery. Hispanic (OR 0.711, P = .003) and African American (OR 0.63, P < .0001) patients had decreased odds of surgery compared with White patients. Patients with Medicaid (OR 0.582, P < .0001) or self-pay (OR 0.352, P < .0001) insurance had decreased odds of undergoing surgery relative to privately insured patients. Patients with greater levels of social deprivation (OR 0.993, P < .0001) also were associated with decreased odds of surgery.ConclusionsAnterior glenohumeral instability and subsequent stabilization surgery is associated with disparities among patient race, primary insurance, and social deprivation.Clinical RelevanceConsidering the relationship between differential care and health disparities, it is critical to define and increase physician awareness of these disparities to help ensure equitable care.

Outcomes of Arthroscopic Anterior Labroligamentous Periosteal Sleeve Avulsion Lesions: A Minimum 2-Year Follow-up

Background: Anterior labroligamentous periosteal sleeve avulsion (ALPSA) lesions can occur in recurrent anterior shoulder instability, which may lead to the labrum scarring medially to the glenoid. ALPSA lesions have also been associated with greater preoperative dislocations, larger Hill-Sachs lesions, and greater degrees of glenoid bone loss. Therefore, patients with these lesions have historically had a higher failure rate after repair, with nearly double the recurrent instability rate compared with those undergoing standard arthroscopic Bankart repair. Purpose: To compare minimum 2-year outcomes of arthroscopic mobilization and anatomic repair of ALPSA lesions with those after standard arthroscopic Bankart repair. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of ALPSA lesions were matched in a 1-to-3 fashion to patients who underwent standard Bankart repair by age, sex, number of previous ipsilateral shoulder instability surgical procedures, and number of anchors used. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores were compared preoperatively and postoperatively (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES]; 12-Item Short Form Health Survey [SF-12] Physical Component Summary [PCS]; Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation [SANE]; shortened version of Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand; and satisfaction). Recurrent instability, on- versus off-track Hill-Sachs lesion, and reoperation rates were analyzed. Results: A total of 100 shoulders (25 ALPSA and 75 Bankart) with an overall mean age of 25.7 years were evaluated. Patients in the ALPSA group demonstrated significant improvements in the ASES (preoperative, 74.8; postoperative, 89.7; P = .041) and SF-12 PCS (preoperative, 46.9; postoperative, 53.4; P = .021) scores but not the SANE score (preoperative, 65.2; postoperative, 75.3; P = .311). Patients in the Bankart group had significant improvements in all outcome scores at final follow-up: ASES (preoperative, 67.1; postoperative, 90.3), SANE (preoperative, 58.0; postoperative, 85.7), and SF-12 PCS (preoperative, 45.3; postoperative, 52.9) (all P < .001). There were no significant differences in PRO scores between the groups preoperatively or postoperatively (P > .05). The median satisfaction for the ALPSA group was 10 of 10 and for the Bankart group it was 9 of 10 (P = .094). There was a significantly higher rate of recurrent dislocation in the ALPSA group (8/25 [32.0%]) compared with the Bankart group (10/75 [13.3%]) (P = .040). Additionally, 5 patients (20.0%) in the ALPSA group underwent revision surgery at a mean of 5.6 years, and 8 patients (10.7%) in the Bankart group underwent revision surgery at a mean of 4.4 years (P = .311). Conclusion: Despite improvements in the recognition of and surgical techniques for ALPSA lesions, they still lead to significantly higher postoperative dislocation rates; however, no differences in PRO scores were found. These findings highlight the importance of early surgical interventions in anterior shoulder instability with the hope of lessening recurrent instability and the risk of developing an ALPSA lesion, as well as careful assessment of the quality of soft tissues and other risk factors for recurrence when considering what type of shoulder stabilization procedure to perform.

Concomitant Glenohumeral Instability and Rotator Cuff Injury: An Epidemiologic and Case-Control Analysis in Military Cadets.

Concomitant rotator cuff tear and glenohumeral instability in a large cohort of young and active patients has not been examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, associated variables, and outcomes in military cadets undergoing shoulder stabilization procedures with these concomitant pathologies. A retrospective cohort study of a consecutive series of collegiate patients who underwent shoulder stabilization from 2014 to 2018 at a single service academy was conducted. Exclusion criteria were noncadets, revision instability cases, multidirectional instability, and prior rotator cuff repair. A nested case-control analysis was done in a matched series of patients with and without MRI evidence of rotator cuff tear. Baseline demographics, VAS pain scale, physical therapy duration, and time to surgery were analyzed. Postoperative metrics included rate of recurrent instability, subjective outcomes, VAS pain scale, and military-specific criteria. Three hundred twenty-four cadets met the inclusion criteria, including 272 men and 52 women averaging 20.53 ± 1.80 years of age. MRI demonstrated concomitant rotator cuff tears in 5.56% of cases. A matched case-control comparison between patients with (rotator cuff tear group) and without (no rotator cuff tear group) rotator cuff tear showed no differences in preoperative data, recurrent instability rate, or postoperative VAS pain scores (0.24 versus 0.88, P = 0.207) at mean 44-month follow-up. Fifteen of 17 patients (88.2%) in each group returned to full activity (P > 0.999). No patients failed to graduate due to shoulder concerns. No patients in the rotator cuff tear group underwent a medical board for separation from the military compared with 2 (11.8%) in the no rotator cuff tear group (P = 0.163). The incidence of concomitant rotator cuff tears in this study of military cadets undergoing shoulder stabilization was 5.56%. In a matched cohort comparison, the presence of a rotator cuff tear on preoperative MRI was not associated with inferior clinical outcomes.

Diagnosing the direction of shoulder instability in rugby players.

The muscular characteristics of rugby players may make diagnosing the direction of shoulder instability and labral pathology challenging. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of clinical examination and specifically instability tests, in diagnosing the direction of shoulder instability in rugby players. One-hundred-and-forty rugby players, who had undergone a shoulder stabilization procedure, over a 55-month period, were included in this study. The mean age was 21.5 years with 137 males. Data collected included clinical examination and intraoperative findings. The two were compared to calculate the diagnostic accuracy of special tests for instability. The Anterior Apprehension Test had good sensitivity (82.7%), specificity (100%) and PPV (100%) but poor NPV (55.8%). All posterior instability tests demonstrated a sensitivity of over 85%, but all had a specificity of 25% or less. In 83.6% of cases the direction of instability was correctly identified from history and examination. Anterior instability was correctly diagnosed in 78.9% of cases and posterior in 100.0%. The poor NPV of the anterior apprehension test suggests that clinicians should be suspicious of anterior instability in rugby shoulders even in the light of negative examination findings. Positive posterior instability tests are highly suggestive of posterior instability in rugby players.

High Incidence of Combined and Posterior Labral Tears in Military Patients With Operative Shoulder Instability

Background: Anterior shoulder instability is the pattern most commonly reported in the civilian population, but military servicemembers may represent a unique population. At 1.7 per 1000 person-years, servicemembers not only have a higher incidence of instability events compared with civilians (reported rate of 0.2-0.8), but the distribution of labral tears in the military may differ significantly as well. Hypothesis: The incidence of combined and posterior labral tears in the military population will be greater than numbers previously reported. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The Wounded, Ill, and Injured Registry, a Department of Defense patient reported outcomes data collection platform that includes all military branches, was queried retrospectively for all patients who had undergone a primary arthroscopic or open shoulder stabilization procedure (Current Procedural Terminology codes 29806, 23455, 23462) between October 2016 and January 2019. Demographic information was obtained through intake forms completed by patients at the time of enrollment into the Military Orthopaedics Tracking Injuries and Outcomes Network. Tear location was determined arthroscopically and labeled as anterior, inferior, posterior, superior, or any combination thereof. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the percentage of patients with isolated anterior, isolated posterior, isolated inferior, or combined labral tears in the current study cohort with those in a previously reported cohort of patients with operative shoulder instability at a single military treatment facility. Results: A total of 311 patients were included who had undergone primary shoulder stabilization during the study period. Of these patients, 94 (30.2%) had isolated anterior tears, 76 (24.4%) had isolated posterior tears, and 136 (43.7%) had combined tears. We observed a higher percentage of combined tears in our data set than in a data set from a single military treatment facility (χ2(2) = 48.2; P < .00001). Chi-square analysis demonstrated that significantly more female patients had an isolated anterior labral tear (51.2%) compared with male patients (27.1%; χ2(2) = 9.4; P = .009). Conclusion: The incidence of combined and posterior labral tears in the military population is greater than numbers previously reported in both military and civilian populations.

Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Humeral Avulsion Glenohumeral Ligament Lesions in the Setting of Anterior Shoulder Instability: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Background: Humeral avulsion glenohumeral ligament (HAGL) lesions are often underreported but have been shown to occur in up to 10% of cases of anterior shoulder instability. Purpose: To compare clinical outcomes and recurrence rates of patients with HAGL lesions undergoing open stabilization for anterior shoulder instability versus a pair-matched control. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent both arthroscopic and open stabilization procedures with a minimum 24-month follow-up was performed. Patients with HAGL lesions were pair-matched in a 1:6 ratio for age, sex, sport, level of preoperative play, and follow-up length with those without HAGL lesions who underwent arthroscopic Bankart repair alone. Return to play (RTP), the level of return, and the timing of return were assessed. In addition, recurrence, visual analog scale for pain (VAS), Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV), Rowe score, satisfaction, and whether they would undergo the same surgery again were compared. Results: A total of 15 patients with HAGL lesions who underwent shoulder stabilization procedures were included, with a mean age of 21.5 ± 4.1 years and mean follow-up of 53.5 ± 17.4 months, and were pair-matched to 90 patients without HAGL lesions. Overall, there was no significant difference in any of the clinical outcome scores (VAS, Rowe, SSV, satisfaction) used between the 2 groups (1.6 vs 1.7, P = .86; 83.4 vs 88.0, P = .06; 85.7 vs 87.2, P = .76; and 86.7% vs 94.5%, P = .26, respectively). In addition, there were no significant differences in terms of overall rates, levels, and timing of RTP between the 2 groups (93.3% vs 90.0%, P > .99; 80.0% vs 78.9%, P > .99; and 5.3 ± 2.2 vs 5.9 ± 2.9 months, P = .45, respectively). There was no significant difference in the rates of apprehension, subluxation, and recurrent instability between the HAGL and pair-matched control groups (26.7% vs 26.7%, P > .99; 6.7% vs 3.3%, P = .47; and 13.3% vs 6.7% months, P = .32, respectively). Conclusion: Patients with anterior shoulder instability undergoing surgical stabilization with open HAGL repair demonstrate excellent functional outcomes and high rates of RTP, with low rates of recurrence in the medium term compared with a control group without HAGL lesions who underwent arthroscopic Bankart repair alone.

Anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for dislocation arthropathy yield comparable functional outcomes with the matched cohort

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to compare outcomes of anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) after prior shoulder stabilization versus matched cohorts without previous stabilization surgery. Hypotheses were as follows: (1) patients undergoing aTSA or rTSA after stabilization procedures would have worse outcomes than matched cohorts and (2) patients undergoing TSA would have better outcomes after soft-tissue stabilization procedures (aTSAST or rTSAST) than after bony stabilization procedures (aTSAB or rTSAB). MethodsRetrospective cohort study was performed comparing (1) 36 patients who underwent aTSA and (2) 32 patients who underwent rTSA with prior shoulder stabilization with 3-to-1 matched cohorts (based on age, gender, and follow-up length) with no prior shoulder instability or surgery. Baseline demographics, perioperative data, adverse events (AEs), radiographic outcomes, functional outcome scores, range of motion (ROM), and patient satisfaction were analyzed. Subgroup analyses compared patients who underwent aTSAST or rTSAST with patients who underwent aTSAB or rTSAB. ResultsThe postoperative AE rate was 8.3% and 4.6% in the aTSA group and matched cohort, respectively (P = .404), with a trend toward a significantly higher incidence of aseptic glenoid loosening in the aTSA group (8.3% vs. 1.9%, P = .067). Functional outcomes, ROM, and patient satisfaction did not differ at follow-up >4 years. In the subgroup analysis, two AEs required reoperation among 25 patients who underwent aTSAST versus one among 11 patients who underwent aTSAB, all related to aseptic loosening. There was a trend toward greater functional outcomes and satisfaction among patients who underwent aTSAST. There was a trend toward a clinically significant difference in active abduction at final follow-up favoring aTSAST (128 vs. 108 degrees, P = .096).The postoperative AE rate was 6.3% and 4.2% among the rTSA group and matched cohort, respectively (P = .632). Functional outcomes, ROM, and patient satisfaction did not differ at 4-year follow-up. In the subgroup analysis, no AEs were reported among 18 patients who underwent rTSAST and 14 patients who underwent rTSAB. A trend toward greater functional outcomes and patient satisfaction favored patients who underwent rTSAB, who achieved greater improvements in ROM from baseline and greater ROM in all planes at the final follow-up. ConclusionBoth aTSA and rTSA are reliable options for the treatment of dislocation arthropathy in appropriately selected patients. aTSA and rTSA after prior shoulder stabilization procedures have nearly equal rates of AEs and yield similar clinical and functional outcomes as matched cohorts. There may be an increased risk of glenoid aseptic loosening in aTSA after prior shoulder stabilization. Functional outcomes tend to be greater for patients who underwent aTSAST than those for patients who underwent aTSAB. On the contrary, rTSA may optimize postoperative function when performed for dislocation arthropathy after bony rather than soft-tissue stabilization procedures. Level of evidenceLevel III; Retrospective Cohort Design; Treatment Study

Differences in Patients' and Surgeons' Expectations before Shoulder Stabilization Surgery.

Purpose: The primary goal of shoulder stabilization procedures is to re-establish stability and many surgeons measure the success after shoulder stabilization surgery only by the absence of re-dislocation. However, patients might also suffer from pain, loss of range of motion and strength as well as anxiety and stigmatization and therefore have other expectations from a stabilization surgery than just a stable shoulder. Purpose of this study was to analyze if surgeons know what their patients typically expect from a shoulder stabilization surgery. Furthermore, the aim was to analyze the influence of various factors on patients’ expectations. Materials and Methods: 204 patients with a diagnosis of shoulder instability scheduled for surgical treatment were included in this prospective multicentric study. Preoperatively, objective and subjective scores were obtained and patients were asked about their postoperative expectations. Additionally, 25 surgeons were interviewed with regard to what they think their patients expect from the surgery using standardized questions. Results: With regard to postoperative expectations surveyed by the Hospital for Special Surgery questionnaire (HSS), the most important goal to achieve for the patients was ‘stopping the shoulder from dislocation’, followed by ‘to improve the ability to exercise or participate in sports’ and ‘being the shoulder to be back the way it was before the issue started’. The ranking of factors for patients was ‘stability’ as the most important to achieve, followed by ‘movement’, ‘strength’, ‘pain’ and ‘cosmetics’. For surgeons, the order was ‘stability’ (p = 0.004 **), ‘movement’ (p = 0.225), ‘pain’ (p = 0.509), ‘strength’ (p = 0.007 **) and ‘cosmetics’ (p = 0.181). There was a significant difference between patients and surgeons with regard to gaining stability at the cost of movement (p = 0.001 **). Conclusion: Patients and surgeons expectations regarding outcome after surgical shoulder stabilization procedures are quite similar with limited topics of disagreement. Generally, surgeons tend to overrate the importance of stability at the costs of other factors.

Return-to-Sport Criteria After Upper Extremity Surgery in Athletes-A Scoping Review, Part 1: Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Stabilization Procedures.

Background:Standardized criteria are lacking to guide patient return to sport (RTS) after rotator cuff surgery (RCS) or shoulder stabilization surgery (SSS).Purpose:To describe RTS criteria used after RCS and SSS in athletic populations.Study Design:Scoping review; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:This scoping review was based on the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses–Scoping Review) guidelines. A total of 5 electronic databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Embase, Google Scholar Advanced search) and the gray literature were searched for English-language studies that reported at least 1 RTS criterion in athletes after shoulder surgery. Studies were assigned to the RCS or SSS subgroup based on the primary procedure performed. Data were extracted and summarized as frequencies or arithmetic mean and standard deviation.Results:Included were 52 studies and 2706 athletes (2206 male, 500 female, with a mean age of 28.8 ± 1.8 years). The RCS group consisted of 14 studies and the SSS group consisted of 38 studies. Time from surgery was the most common RTS criterion reported overall (37/52 studies; 71%) as well as within the RCS (93%) and SSS (63%) subgroups. Muscle strength (25/52 studies; 48%) and range of motion (23/52; 44%) were used by almost half of the included articles. RTS criteria reported less often were absence of pain, successful completion of sport-specific or position-specific test, proprioception, radiographic evaluation, patient-surgeon agreement, minimum time required to participate in pain-free throwing, and satisfactory scapulothoracic mechanics. All studies used 1 to 3 of the above RTS criteria; however, the definition of each criterion differed among the included articles.Conclusion:Time from surgery was the most commonly reported RTS criterion after RCS or SSS in athletes, whereas muscle strength and range of motion were used by almost half of the articles. There was high heterogeneity in the definition of each RTS criterion used among the included studies, which also used different combinations of 1 to 3 RTS criteria. These results suggest the need to better define quantitative and qualitative RTS criteria in athletes undergoing rotator cuff and shoulder stabilization procedures in order to safely return athletes to sport.

Postoperative Stiffness and Pain After Arthroscopic Labral Stabilization: Consider Anchor Arthropathy

To describe the key clinical, imaging, and arthroscopic characteristics of anchor arthropathy after arthroscopic shoulder stabilization procedures and, secondarily, to define risk factors for the development of anchor-induced arthropathy. A total of 23 patients who underwent revision arthroscopic shoulder surgery and were diagnosed with glenohumeral arthropathy were retrospectively identified from prospectively collected data registries between January 2000 and May 2018. Data included initial diagnosis and index procedure performed, presenting arthropathy symptoms including duration, and examination findings before revision surgery. Pre-revision imaging was used to assess presence of glenohumeral osteoarthritis and chondromalacia, anchors/sutures, loose bodies, and labral pathology. The same parameters were recorded intraoperatively during revision surgery. Descriptive statistics were performed for demographic data and means with standard deviations were calculated for continuous data. A McNemar-Bowker test was used to analyze marginal homogeneity between preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings. Mean age at presentation was 33.4 ± 11.7 years (range 16-59, 17 male patients; 6 female patients). More than one half (13/23) developed symptoms within 10 months after index arthroscopic procedure (mean 32.2 ± 59.9 months, range <1 to 165.2 months) with 87% presenting with pain and 100% presenting with loss of motion on examination. Plain radiographs demonstrated humeral osteoarthritis in 57% (13/23) of patients, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed recurrent labral pathology in 19 of 23 (83%) patients, potential proud implants in 12 of 23 (52%), and loose bodies in 12 of 23 (52%). Intraoperatively, all had evidence of osteoarthritis; 22 of 23 (96%) had prominent implants. Humeral head chondromalacia was present in 21 of 23 patients (91%), the majority of which was linear stripe wear, and 6 of 23 (26%) had severe global glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Statistical analysis revealed a 54.5% (95% confidence interval 0.327-0.749) sensitivity of MRI identification of proud implants with a specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval 0.055-1). The ability of MRI to accurately assess chondromalacia of the humeral head (P= .342) or glenoid (P= .685) was not statistically significant. Anchor arthropathy is characterized by symptoms of pain and stiffness on examination and in many cases develops early after stabilization surgery (<10 months). Implants were implicated in the majority of cases of humeral head chondromalacia. MRI scans may produce false-negative identification of proud implants and can be a poor predictor of the severity of chondromalacia and intra-articular pathology; thus, a high index of clinical suspicion is necessary in patients with motion loss and pain postoperatively. Level IV, case series.

Latarjet After Failed Arthroscopic Bankart Repair Results in Twice the Rate of Recurrent Instability Compared With Primary Latarjet

To assess recurrent instability of the shoulder following open Latarjet performed as the primary stabilization procedure or as a salvage procedure. A retrospective, comparative cohort study was performed for a consecutive series of patients in the Military Health System who underwent open Latarjet from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2018. All patients were diagnosed with recurrent anterior shoulder instability and had a minimum of 2 years of postoperative follow-up. Patients were categorized as either having a primary Latarjet (PL; no prior shoulder stabilization procedure) or salvage Latarjet (SL; ≥1 previous arthroscopic surgical stabilization procedures). A total of 234 Latarjet procedures were performed in 234 patients. The overall recurrent instability rate was 15.8% (37/234), the overall reoperation rate was 16.7% (36/234), and the overall complication rate was 14.2% (33/234) over a mean 5.0 years of follow-up. There were 99 PL procedures and 135 SL procedures. The SL group had significantly more recurrent instability than the PL group (SL 28/135, 20.7%; PL 9/99, 9.1%; P= .0158). There was no difference in overall reoperation rates (SL 26/135, 19.3%; PL 13/99, 13.1%; P= .2140) or complication rates (SL 20/135, 14.8%; PL 13/99, 13.3%; P= .9101). The rate of recurrent instability following the Latarjet procedure in an active, high-risk population is 15.8%. Primary Latarjet was found to have lower rates of recurrence compared with salvage Latarjet procedures (9.1% versus 20.7%). III.

Shoulder Arthroscopy Simulator Training Improves Surgical Procedure Performance: A Controlled Laboratory Study.

Background:Previous simulation studies evaluated either dry lab (DL) or virtual reality (VR) simulation, correlating simulator training with the performance of arthroscopic tasks. However, these studies did not compare simulation training with specific surgical procedures.Purpose/Hypothesis:To determine the effectiveness of a shoulder arthroscopy simulator program in improving performance during arthroscopic anterior labral repair. It was hypothesized that both DL and VR simulation methods would improve procedure performance; however, VR simulation would be more effective based on the validated Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool (ASSET) Global Rating Scale.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Enrolled in the study were 38 orthopaedic residents at a single institution, postgraduate years (PGYs) 1 to 5. Each resident completed a pretest shoulder stabilization procedure on a cadaveric model and was then randomized into 1 of 2 groups: VR or DL simulation. Participants then underwent a 4-week arthroscopy simulation program and completed a posttest. Sports medicine–trained orthopaedic surgeons graded the participants on completeness of the surgical repair at the time of the procedure, and a single, blinded orthopaedic surgeon, using the ASSET Global Rating Scale, graded participants’ arthroscopy skills. The procedure step and ASSET grades were compared between simulator groups and between PGYs using paired t tests.Results:There was no significant difference between the groups in pretest performance in either the procedural steps or ASSET scores. Overall procedural step scores improved after combining both types of simulator training (P = .0424) but not in the individual simulation groups. The ASSET scores improved across both DL (P = .0045) and VR (P = .0003), with no significant difference between the groups.Conclusion:A 4-week simulation program can improve arthroscopic skills and performance during a specific surgical procedure. This study provides additional evidence regarding the benefits of simulator training in orthopaedic surgery for both novice and experienced arthroscopic surgeons. There was no statistically significant difference between the VR and DL models, which disproved the authors’ hypothesis that the VR simulator would be the more effective simulation tool.Clinical Relevance:There may be a role for simulator training in the teaching of arthroscopic skills and learning of specific surgical procedures.

Open Capsulorrhaphy for Recurrent Multidirectional Instability of the Shoulder

Background: The management of multidirectional instability (MDI) of the shoulder remains challenging, especially in athletes who participate in sports and may require multiple surgical procedures to achieve shoulder stabilization. Open or arthroscopic procedures can be performed to address shoulder MDI. Indications: Open capsulorrhaphy is preferred in patients with underlying tissue hyperlaxity and who had 1 or more, previously failed, arthroscopic shoulder stabilization procedures. Technique Description: With the patient in the beach-chair position (45°), tissue dissection is performed to the level of subscapularis tendon via the deltopectoral approach. The subscapularis tenotomy is performed in an L-shaped fashion, and the subscapularis tendon is tagged with multiple sutures and mobilized. Careful separation of the subscapularis tendon from the underlying capsular tissue is critical. Capsulotomy is performed, consisting of a vertical limb and an inferior limb that extends to the 5 o’clock position on the humeral neck (right shoulder). After evaluating the integrity of the labrum, the capsule is shifted superiorly and laterally, and repaired using 4 to 5 suture anchors. The redundant capsule is excised, and the subscapularis tendon is repaired in a side-to-side fashion, augmented by transosseous equivalent repair using the capsular sutures. Results: Adequate shoulder stabilization was achieved following open capsulorrhaphy in a young female athlete with tissue hyperlaxity and history of a previously failed arthroscopic soft tissue stabilization surgery of the shoulder. The athlete returned to sport at 6 months postoperatively and did not experience recurrent shoulder instability episodes at midterm follow-up. Discussion/Conclusion: Based on the existing literature, 82% to 97% of patients who underwent open capsulorrhaphy for MDI had no recurrent shoulder instability episodes at midterm follow-up. One study reported 64% return-to-sport rate following open capsulorrhaphy in 15 adolescent athletes with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but more research is necessary to better define the indications and outcomes of this procedure in physically active patients.

Postoperative Rehabilitation and Return to Play Criteria After Anterior Shoulder Stabilization Procedures

Anterior shoulder stabilization surgery is the preferred method to treat shoulder instability in athletes; however, a variety of surgical techniques exist. The rehabilitation specialist needs to have a basic understanding of each procedure to properly protect healing structures while restoring range of motion, strength, and functional abilities. Few evidence-based guidelines exist for rehabilitation after anterior shoulder stabilization, and those that are available are specific to the standard arthroscopic approach. Further, even less guidance is available for the later stages of rehabilitation and return to sports preparation and decision making. In this review article, rehabilitation considerations and alterations for variations of anterior shoulder stabilization surgery are presented. The importance of individualizing late-stage rehabilitation and incorporating core and lower extremity exercises as appropriate is also discussed. Lastly, rationale for criteria-based return to sports assessments to aid clinical decision making is presented.