Arthroscopic resection of a symptomatic snapping subscapular osteochondroma

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Painful snapping scapula is often idiopathic, responding to conservative treatments like physiotherapy or NSAIDs.
• Surgical intervention is reserved for refractory cases, with open techniques commonly used for lesion resection.
• Previous studies suggest scapulothoracic arthroscopy is safe and has low morbidity for idiopathic snapping scapula.

Observation:

• A case of painful scapular crepitus, unresponsive to conservative management, was attributed to an inferior subscapular osteochondroma.
• The osteochondroma was identified as the clear anatomical cause of the patient's symptoms.
• Standard conservative measures were ineffective in alleviating the patient's scapular pain and dysfunction.

Findings:

• Arthroscopic resection of the inferior subscapular osteochondroma was successfully performed.
• A custom, lesion-specific inferior portal facilitated the arthroscopic approach.
• The surgical procedure resulted in complete and painless shoulder function restoration within two weeks.

Implications:

• Arthroscopic resection offers a minimally invasive alternative for treating osteochondromas causing scapular snapping.
• This technique may provide a faster recovery and better functional outcome compared to open procedures.
• Further research could explore the broader application of arthroscopic techniques for anatomical causes of scapular snapping.