A New Guide for the Arthroscopically Assisted Latarjet Procedure

The Latarjet procedure is a commonly used treatment for recurrent shoulder instability. However, its neurological complication rate has been reported to be as high as 10%. During the Latarjet procedure, the neurovascular structures are relocated inferiorly and medially. I hypothesized that the risk of nerve injury would be reduced by assisting the inferior-medial relocation of the neurovascular structures intraoperatively.

Seventeen consecutive patients with shoulder instability accompanied by glenoid bone loss were treated with an all-arthroscopic Latarjet procedure assisted by the novel low-profile SaSumata (SS) guide. The SS guide is inserted through a portal made above the coracoid process and is attached to the coracoid process by 2 pre-fix screws (i.e., temporary pre-fixation screws). Unlike previous techniques, the SS guide is not shuttled from 1 portal to the other to redirect the bone graft from the donor site to the recipient site; instead, it remains attached to the graft throughout the procedure. The SS guide brings the coracoid graft along an inferior-medial trajectory, pushing aside the neurovascular structures with the help of a switching stick. Owing to its semicircular pronged head, the SS guide holds the graft until the pre-fix screws are exchanged with permanent screws. All patients were clinically assessed and underwent computed tomography (CT) scans.

This maneuver was performed arthroscopically in 17 patients, with no conversion to open surgery and no neurological injuries. No patient had recurrence of dislocation after follow-up for a minimum of 24 months. The mean Subjective Shoulder Value was 87.5% ± 11.7%. The mean Rowe score was 88 ± 15.7. The bone block was optimally positioned between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock and was flush with the glenoid facet in 16 of the 17 patients. There was 1 fracture of the bone block. The mean operation time after the first 5 patients was 125 ± 23 minutes.

The SS guide was a useful tool for performing the arthroscopically assisted Latarjet procedure for recurrent anterior shoulder instability, with good functional results.

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.