Impact of Remplissage on Global Shoulder Outcome: A Long-Term Comparative Study

To evaluate the global function of patients treated by arthroscopic shoulder stabilization with or without remplissage at a minimum of 10 years of follow-up.

The inclusion criteria were existence of a recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation, with or without a Hill-Sachs lesion. The exclusion criteria were prior shoulder stabilization surgery and patients with a glenoid lesion that had been stabilized using the Latarjet procedure. Included patients with a Hill-Sachs lesion underwent surgical remplissage, and the others had Bankart repair only. The main criterion for failure was recurrence of instability or apprehension. The Rowe score and the Walch-Duplay score were used to assess shoulder function before surgery and 10 years afterward, in clinical reviews or telephone interviews.

Seventy-nine patients underwent surgical Bankart repair with or without remplissage between November 2004 and January 2008 and were followed up for a mean duration of 128 months (range, 120-150); 12 patients were lost to follow-up, and 39 patients had Bankart stabilization only: the mean Instability Severity Index Score was 2.3 (range, 0-6). Three patients had recurrence with new dislocation, and 8 patients had apprehension. The Rowe score progressed from 54.3 (range, 25-65) to 83.8 (range, 70-100; P < .01), and the Walch-Duplay score rose from 46.8 (range, 25-75) to 85.6 (range 70-100; P < .01). Twenty-eight patients had arthroscopic Bankart repair + remplissage; the mean Instability Severity Index Score was 1.8 (range, 1-4). There was no recurrence, and no patient had apprehension. The Rowe score progressed from 51.8 (range, 20-65) to 92.3 (range, 70-100; P < .01), and the Walch-Duplay score rose from 58.7 (range, 30-75) to 91.4 (range, 70-100; P < .01). Functional scores in the second group were statistically significant better than in the first one.

Bankart repair combined with remplissage seems to be an effective method for restoring joint stability in patients with recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation with an associated Hill-Sachs lesion at a minimum of 10 years of follow-up. This technique appears to deliver better functional results than Bankart repair only, showing better scores for mobility and stability in the remplissage group. Limitations (pain and restriction of motion) reported in literature at short-term follow-up for this technical procedure do not seem to be anymore an issue at long-term follow-up.

Level III, retrospective comparative study.