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Published on: January 23, 2026
Poor outcomes after SLAP repair: descriptive analysis and prognosis
Laurie M Katz1, Stephanie Hsu, Suzanne L Miller
1Department of Orthopaedics, New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA. lkatz2@partners.org
Summary
Patients with poor outcomes after SLAP repair often experience dissatisfaction with conservative treatments. Revision surgery offers better results, but a significant portion may still have suboptimal outcomes following further intervention.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Sports medicine
- Shoulder arthroscopy
Background:
- Superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) tears are common shoulder injuries.
- SLAP repair is a frequently performed arthroscopic procedure.
- A subset of patients experience poor outcomes after initial SLAP repair, necessitating further evaluation and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors associated with poor outcomes after SLAP repair.
- To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of subsequent treatments in patients with suboptimal results post-SLAP repair.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 40 shoulders in 39 patients with poor outcomes after SLAP repair (2000-2007).
- Data collected included demographics, surgical history, and treatment details.
- Outcome measures: patient satisfaction and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores before and after further treatment (conservative or revision surgery).
Main Results:
- Mean age at initial SLAP repair was 43 years.
- Poor outcomes included pain with decreased range of motion (75%), pain with full range of motion (22.5%), or mechanical symptoms (2.5%).
- Mean SST score post-SLAP repair was 3.04/12. Overall satisfaction after further treatment was 68%, with mean SST score improving to 8.73/12.
Conclusions:
- 71% of patients with poor outcomes post-SLAP repair were dissatisfied with conservative treatment.
- Revision surgery yielded higher satisfaction rates (62%) compared to conservative treatment (29%).
- Despite further intervention, 32% of patients continued to experience suboptimal results.