Arthroscopic versus open Latarjet: a step-by-step comprehensive and systematic review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanical Engineering

Background:

• Recurrent anterior shoulder instability often requires surgical intervention, with the Latarjet procedure being a common treatment.
• Both open and arthroscopic techniques exist for the Latarjet procedure, each with potential benefits and drawbacks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes of arthroscopic versus open Latarjet procedures for treating recurrent anterior shoulder instability.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of Level II-III therapeutic studies was conducted.
• Literature search performed on MEDLINE/PubMed and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews using specific keywords.
• Five eligible clinical studies were assessed based on inclusion-exclusion criteria.

Main Results:

• Arthroscopic Latarjet demonstrated comparable postoperative recurrence rates to the open technique.
• No significant differences were observed in osteoarthritis, infection, soft tissue healing, or specific functional scores.
• Arthroscopic Latarjet showed superior outcomes in graft non-union, osteolysis, resorption, and early postoperative pain.

Conclusions:

• Both open and arthroscopic Latarjet procedures provide satisfactory outcomes for recurrent anterior shoulder instability with bone loss.
• The arthroscopic approach may offer advantages in graft healing and early pain management.
• The overall quality of the included studies was rated as low to moderate.