["Rotator interval" lesion. Part 1: Clinical study].

Seventy-two cases with "Rotator interval" lesion of the shoulder operated during the past thirteen years were studied. Results are as follows; "Rotator interval" should be as loose as possible, though not so loose as to break the shoulder mechanism. This lesion is mainly found in young people; seventy percent of the subjects were less than thirty years old. The clinical features fall into two categories. One is contracture of the shoulder in older cases and the other is unstable shoulder in younger cases. This difference reflects the secondary change after injury. Conventional arthrography showed any abnormalities only in 38 percent of the subjects, suggesting cineradioarthrography is a requirement of a final diagnosis. One year following surgery, the clinical signs have almost disappeared. The operating procedure is described in detail, indicating some changes in the glenohumeral joint.