[Clinical picture of anterior instability of the shoulder joint]

The authors have studied the clinical picture of 360 patients with primary traumatic dislocations and the long-term results have been observed in 286 patients. The analysis of 50 arthrotomies of the shoulder performed in cases of anterior instability has been made. A direct relationship between the clinical course of instability and the severity of the intra-articular lesions appearing during the first traumatic dislocation has been established. Such lesions include ruptures or avulsions of the anterior portion of the cartilage wall, ruptures of the joint capsule, avulsion of the capsule from the neck of the scapula, fractures of the anterior border of the glenoid cavity, compression fracture of the posterior lateral portion of the head of the humerus, etc, Inadequate treatment of traumatic dislocation leads to instability in the form of frequent dislocations or subluxations in the shoulder joint. The surgical treatment of the instability should be directed at the reconstruction of the injured structures of the shoulder joint.