High failure rate after conservative treatment for recurrent shoulder dislocation without subjective apprehension on physical examination.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of conservative treatment for recurrent shoulder dislocation without subjective apprehension, despite the presence of a Bankart lesion or glenoid defect.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed for 92 patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation treated with conservative treatment due to negative apprehension between 2009 and 2018. The failure of the conservative treatment was defined as a dislocation or subluxation episode or subjective feeling of instability based on a positive apprehension. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate failure rates over time, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to determine a cut-off value for a glenoid defect. The clinical outcomes were compared between patients who completed conservative treatment without recurrence of instability (Group A) and those who failed and subsequently underwent surgical treatment (Group B) using shoulder functional scores and sports/recreation activity level.

RESULTS

This retrospective study included 61 of 92 eligible patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation. Among the 61 patients, conservative treatment failed in 46 (75.4%) over the 2-year study period. The cut-off value for a glenoid defect was 14.4%. The association between glenoid defect size (≥ 14.4% or as a continuous variable) and survival was statistically significant (p = 0.039 and p < 0.001, respectively). The mean glenoid defect size in Group B increased from 14.6 ± 3.0% to 17.3 ± 3.1% (p < 0.001), and clinical outcomes for Group A were inferior to those for Group B at the 24-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative treatment for recurrent shoulder dislocation in patients without subjective apprehension showed a high failure rate during the study period, especially if the glenoid defect was ≥ 14.4% in size. Despite clinical improvement in patients who completed conservative treatment without recurrence, functional outcome scores and sport/recreation activity levels were better in the patients who underwent arthroscopic Bankart repair. Therefore, for recurrent anterior shoulder instability, even without subjective apprehension, surgical treatment is warranted over conservative treatment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.