Evaluation and treatment of failed shoulder instability procedures

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Shoulder Instability

Background:

• Unstable shoulder management post-failed stabilization presents significant challenges.
• Understanding native shoulder anatomy and restraints is crucial for diagnosing primary pathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review common risk factors for post-surgical failure in shoulder stabilization.
• To outline essential evaluation components for revision surgery.
• To discuss available surgical options for revision shoulder stabilization.

Main Methods:

• This narrative review synthesizes current literature on shoulder instability revision.
• It focuses on identifying failure mechanisms and treatment strategies.

Main Results:

• Common failure causes include under-appreciated bony defects, capsular laxity, technical errors, and missed pathology.
• Revision options encompass open/arthroscopic Bankart repair, bony augmentation, and Hill-Sachs defect management.

Conclusions:

• Thorough pre-operative evaluation is key to successful revision shoulder stabilization.
• Addressing specific failure factors guides the choice of revision surgical techniques.