Editorial Commentary: It Is Not the Size, But the Location of Hill-Sachs Lesion That Matters

The risk of a Hill-Sachs lesion (HSL) to engage the anterior glenoid rim depends on the location of the medial margin of the HSL relative to the anterior rim of the glenoid. The same-sized HSL can be engaging or nonengaging depending upon the size of the glenoid. In order to assess these bony lesions (bipolar lesion) together, the glenoid track concept has been introduced: an on-track lesion (stable) and an off-track lesion (unstable). Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) confirms that more medialized HSLs have larger volume, greater width, more surface area loss, and higher lesion angles (HS angle), and are more inferior in the humeral head. We know that medialization of the HSL is a definitive risk factor to make it off track, whereas the volume, surface area, and width are all subordinate risk factors dependent on the medialization. On the other hand, while we know very little about the orientation of the HSL, recent research shows a significant association between the medialization and orientation of the HSL. However, we do not know whether the orientation is an independent risk factor or dependent on the medialization. There are two things I emphasize when I look at a HSL: 1) do not look at the HSL alone, but look at the glenoid as well, and 2) the risk of the HSL depends on the location of the medial margin of the HSL relative to the glenoid, not on the volume, depth, or length.