Squeaking Shoulder Following Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery: A Case-Control Study

To date, the occurrence of unusual squeaking noises during shoulder movements following shoulder arthroscopic surgeries have been minimally reported.

The aim of this study was to report the incidence, natural history, possible risk factors and functional outcomes of patients who reported to have squeaking noises following shoulder arthroscopic procedures.

In this 2-year case-control study, all patients who underwent arthroscopic shoulder in a single institution were included. All patients were then evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively for demographics, pathology, surgical factors, and functional outcomes. The possible risk factors and functional outcomes of the patients who experienced squeaking following shoulder arthroscopic surgeries were then compared with those patients who did not experience squeaking following shoulder arthroscopic surgeries.

Of the 360 patients included in the study, the incidence of squeaking following arthroscopic shoulder surgeries was 2.23%, and the incidence of squeaking following arthroscopic shoulder labral repair was 3.1%. The age, gender, hand dominance, body mass index, participation in sports, pathology, side of pathology, use of knot-tying versus knotless suture anchors, number of suture anchors, and surgical duration were not significantly different between patients who experienced squeaking and patients who did not. All patients had comparative functional outcomes preoperatively and postoperatively (at the 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year follow-ups).

This case-control study provides an analysis of a series of patients with squeaking of the shoulder following arthroscopic shoulder surgeries. No risk factors or etiology of the condition have been identified in the series. However, there is no functional compromise among these patients who experienced squeaking following shoulder arthroscopic surgeries.