[Arthroscopic repair of anterior relapsing shoulder dislocation. Is there a learning curve?]

We reviewed the first cases that underwent arthroscopic surgery at our center due to relapsing glenohumeral stability of the shoulder. The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of the learning curve on the results obtained.

We analyzed 137 patients who underwent surgery at Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid, Spain between.February 1999 and March 2010. A total of 101 patients met the inclusion criteria, and these patients were divided into two groups using a chronological order, the first 50 patients and the second 50 patients. There were no statistically significant differences in sex, age and laterality between both groups (p = 0.51, p = 0.15 and p = 0.23, respectively), so the groups were comparable. We compared the following between both groups: clinical outcomes, number of dislocations, reoperations and complications, i.e., implant migration, arthrosis and axillary nerve neuropathy. We also compared the functional results, which were measured using the Constant and Rowe scales.

Four episodes of redislocation occurred in group 1 and 6 in group 2. Three reoperations were performed in group 1 and 6 in group 2. No statistically significant differences were found in the number of redislocations and reoperations (p = 50 and p = 0.48, respectively).