A retrospective survey of 50 shoulders in 35 patients with recurrent posterior instability revealed generally poor results of treatment, particularly of operative treatment. Only 11 of the shoulders had a primary traumatic insult as the event initiating the instability. Although 41 of the affected shoulders demonstrated voluntary instability, it was the associated involuntary, unintentional instability of these shoulders that prompted the patients to seek medical attention. Pain and functional impairment relating to work and to the activities of daily living were not significant in most of these patients. The results of surgical reconstruction were generally poor, the recurrence rate was 50 per cent (13 of 26 shoulders), and there were complications in 5 of the 26 shoulders that had been operated on. Attention is drawn to the complication of degenerative osteoarthritis that is associated with posterior glenoid osteotomy. We advise care in the selection of patients for surgical reconstruction.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.
A retrospective survey of 50 shoulders in 35 patients with recurrent posterior instability revealed generally poor results of treatment, particularly of operative treatment. Only 11 of the shoulders had a primary traumatic insult as the event initiating the instability. Although 41 of the affected shoulders demonstrated voluntary instability, it was the associated involuntary, unintentional instability of these shoulders that prompted the patients to seek medical attention. Pain and functional impairment relating to work and to the activities of daily living were not significant in most of these patients. The results of surgical reconstruction were generally poor, the recurrence rate was 50 per cent (13 of 26 shoulders), and there were complications in 5 of the 26 shoulders that had been operated on. Attention is drawn to the complication of degenerative osteoarthritis that is associated with posterior glenoid osteotomy. We advise care in the selection of patients for surgical reconstruction.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.