Abstract
Objectives: The Authors present a method of patients’ selection based on clinical observation, imaging and arthroscopy for shoulder instability treatment. Open surgery was performed if criteria for arthroscopic treatment were not fulfilled. Material: 58 patients with anterior traumatic shoulder instability, treated between January of 1998 until the December of 2001.
Method: The following parameters have been evaluated: sex, age, accident type (low/high energy), associated injuries, type of treatment and results achieved. The Constant score have been used for the functional evaluation. MRI and arthroscopic criteria’s were also used. The type of surgical treatment was decided on those terms. A non-parametric test has been used – Qui-square test (X2). SPSS program has been used to run the calculations.
Results: The mean Constant Score was 90%, 2 patients had a new episode of shoulder luxation. There were no signs of instability in the remaining patients; mean loss of external rotation was 5° in adduction and 10° at 90° of abduction. There was a statistic significant difference between open and closed surgery in terms of loss of range of motion but not on reluxation.
Conclusion: The patients’ selection method presented is a valid tool for shoulder traumatic instability assessment and treatment.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Roger Lemaire. Correspondence should be addressed to EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
