The difficulties in assessment of results of anterior acromioplasty

A retrospective study of 59 decompressive anterior acromioplasties for chronic impingement of the shoulder in 54 patients compared the results of four different shoulder rating systems. The systems used by Neer, Hawkins, and Post include pain, range of motion, function, and strength, whereas the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) scale evaluates the same criteria but on a system of points. After a careful clinical evaluation, satisfactory results ranged from 37% to 80%, using the postoperative evaluation criteria chosen. The criteria defined by Neer, and based on patient satisfaction, minimal pain, full use of the shoulder, less than 20 degrees of limitation of overhead extension, and at least 75% of normal strength, provided the most accurate assessments for this series and resulted in a satisfactory outcome for 60% of the patients.