Arthroscopic stapling repair for shoulder instability: a retrospective study of 50 cases

Fifty arthroscopic stapling repairs of detached glenoid labra were done on 50 shoulders in 47 patients with chronic shoulder dislocation or subluxation. This method offers a shorter rehabilitation period and decreases the morbidity associated with traditional repair. No arthrotomies were done. The follow-up period ranged from 18 to 54 months with an average of 39.4 months. Eight shoulders in seven patients, or 16% of the series, sustained additional trauma that caused redislocation or resubluxation. We felt that this relatively high redislocation rate was due to failure to immobilize these shoulders for 3 weeks postoperatively. This resulted from the lack of instruction from the surgeon or lack of compliance by the patient. For the past 29 months, because a mandatory 3-week immobilization in a sling has been required, there have been no further redislocations. Complications were few and basically were related to the failure to use the equipment in the precise technical manner outlined by the manufacturer. All of the hardware complications were managed without undue difficulty, and although they were a source of consternation to the surgeon, they did not affect the patients adversely. A successful outcome requires good surgical technique by the surgeon and compliance and cooperation by the patient postoperatively.