Results of arthroscopic treatment of superior labral lesions

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of arthroscopic repair of isolated superior labral lesions of the shoulder.

We evaluated thirty-four patients at a mean of thirty-three months (range, twenty-four to forty-nine months) following arthroscopic repair of an isolated superior labral lesion of the shoulder with suture anchors. The outcome of treatment was evaluated with the University of California at Los Angeles shoulder score and on the basis of the patient's ability to return to prior activities. There were thirty male patients and four female patients with a mean age of twenty-six years (range, sixteen to thirty-five years). Thirty patients were involved in athletic activities, and eighteen of them were engaged in overhead sports.

Repair of the superior labral lesion resulted in a satisfactory University of California at Los Angeles shoulder score for thirty-two patients (94%) and an unsatisfactory score for two. Thirty-one patients (91%) regained their preinjury level of shoulder function. The shoulder score and the return to activity were correlated with the type of sports activity (r = 0.291, p < 0.0001 and r = 0.373, p = 0.010, respectively. Patients participating in overhead sports had significantly lower shoulder scores and a lower percentage of return to their preinjury level of shoulder function compared with patients who were not engaged in overhead activity (p = 0.024 and 0.015, respectively).

Arthroscopic repair of an isolated superior labral lesion is successful in a majority of patients. However, the results in patients who participate in overhead sports are not as satisfactory as those in patients who are not involved in overhead sports.