Arthroscopic Latarjet for Primary Shoulder Instability With Off-Track Lesions or Revision Surgery Yields Satisfactory Clinical Results and Reliable Return to Sport and Work at Minimum 3-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate clinical and radiologic outcomes and return to sport and to work of patients after arthroscopic Latarjet stabilization for primary instability or revision surgery; factors influencing and determining results and potential predictors for clinical outcomes also were evaluated.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study including patients older than 18 years old who underwent arthroscopic Latarjet stabilization for recurrent anterior glenohumeral instability with off-track lesions, or for cases of recurrence after previous surgery, from 2011 to 2017. Patients were assessed preoperatively and at a minimum 3 years of follow-up using the Rowe score, the University of California at Los Angeles Shoulder Score and Simple Shoulder Test score; the range of motion, satisfaction rate, return to work and sport, perception of discomfort during sporting and daily activities, and complications and recurrence after surgery were also evaluated. The integration of the coracoid graft and the position of the screws were examined by computed tomography scan.

RESULTS

At a mean follow-up time of 6 ± 2 years, 93 patients (95 shoulders) showed significant improvement of all scale scores (P < .001), 97.8% of the patients had returned to the same working condition as before surgery, and all the patients who practiced sports preoperatively (85; 91.4%) returned to sport after surgery; 97.9% of patients were satisfied with surgery. The complication rate was 5.4%, and 2 cases (2.1%) of recurrence occurred, both after high-energy trauma. At an average of 17 ± 13 months postoperatively, computed tomography scans showed 4 (6.6%) stable nonunions, 9 (14.8%) superior, and 1 (1.6%) inferior lyses of the graft; a correct positioning of the graft was observed in 86.9% of the cases. Greater satisfaction, fewer complications, less pain during daily activities, and a lower number of reoperations were associated with a shorter time between the first dislocation episode and surgery (P = .019, P < .001, P = .014, and P = .005, respectively). Complications were directly associated with older patient age at operation (P = .001). A greater number of nonunions was found in patients with increased angle between the line linking the posterior and anterior glenoid rim and the screw axis (P = .040) and a medial axial position or a lower coronal position of the graft (both P = .010). A lower age at the time of surgery predicted better Rowe scores at follow-up (P < .001), and a lower age at the time of the first episode of dislocation predicted better postoperative Simple Shoulder Test scores (P = .026).

CONCLUSIONS

At a mean 6-year follow-up time, excellent clinical outcomes, and radiological results, with few complications, high rates of satisfaction and return to work and sport and low sports anxiety can be expected after arthroscopic Latarjet procedure. A shorter time between the first dislocation episode and surgery was associated with higher satisfaction, fewer complications, less pain during daily activities and lower reoperations; a lower age at the operation was associated with lower complications.