Comparable 1-year results after arthroscopic Latarjet using screw or suture-button fixation.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Sports medicine
• Shoulder instability treatment

Background:

• The Latarjet procedure is a common surgical treatment for shoulder instability.
• Fixation techniques, such as screw or suture button, may influence outcomes.
• Evaluating different fixation methods is crucial for optimizing patient results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical and radiological outcomes one year after arthroscopic Latarjet procedure.
• To assess the impact of screw versus suture button fixation on graft healing and patient-reported outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparative cohort study of 75 patients undergoing arthroscopic Latarjet.
• Patients were grouped by fixation technique (screw vs. suture button) and surgical experience.
• Outcomes included Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI), recurrence, complications, and radiological graft healing via CT scans.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in mean WOSI% from baseline to 1 year (p < 0.001), with no difference between fixation groups.
• Higher graft healing rates observed with screw fixation compared to suture button (p = 0.022).
• No significant difference in reoperation rates or patient satisfaction between fixation groups.

Conclusions:

• Arthroscopic Latarjet with both screw and suture button fixation yields comparable functional outcomes at one year.
• Screw fixation is associated with superior graft healing rates.
• Suture button fixation's potentially inferior healing did not translate to worse clinical outcomes.