This paper describes the first reported arthroscopic bony resection of the superomedial scapular corner for painful snapping scapula. Seven patients who had failed all conservative treatment were followed prospectively. The authors present the surgical technique, safe portal placement, and early outcomes.
When a patient localizes painful snapping to the superomedial scapular corner and has failed injections, physiotherapy, and scapular stabilizer strengthening, surgical resection becomes reasonable. This paper is the first to describe doing that resection arthroscopically rather than open, and the case for it rests on cosmesis and faster rehabilitation rather than superior symptom relief.
The critical surgical pearl is portal safety: place portals inferior to the scapular spine and 3 fingerbreadths from the vertebral border to protect the dorsoscapular nerve and artery. Keep fluid pressure low, because the scapulothoracic space fills fast and swelling can force conversion, as it did in one of these seven cases.
As a 7-patient case series with no comparison group, this is early Level IV evidence. It establishes feasibility, not superiority, and the durability of relief remains unproven.
This paper describes the first reported arthroscopic bony resection of the superomedial scapular corner for painful snapping scapula. Seven patients who had failed all conservative treatment were followed prospectively. The authors present the surgical technique, safe portal placement, and early outcomes.
When a patient localizes painful snapping to the superomedial scapular corner and has failed injections, physiotherapy, and scapular stabilizer strengthening, surgical resection becomes reasonable. This paper is the first to describe doing that resection arthroscopically rather than open, and the case for it rests on cosmesis and faster rehabilitation rather than superior symptom relief.
The critical surgical pearl is portal safety: place portals inferior to the scapular spine and 3 fingerbreadths from the vertebral border to protect the dorsoscapular nerve and artery. Keep fluid pressure low, because the scapulothoracic space fills fast and swelling can force conversion, as it did in one of these seven cases.
As a 7-patient case series with no comparison group, this is early Level IV evidence. It establishes feasibility, not superiority, and the durability of relief remains unproven.