[Frozen shoulder. Arthroscopy and manipulation in general anesthesia, followed by early passive mobilization]

Over a 15 month period 20 patients with 20 arthroscopically verified frozen shoulders were treated with manipulation under general anaesthesia and early passive motion. The study had a minimum of six months follow-up. The average duration of the disease before treatment was eight months. Prior to treatment all patients suffered from moderate to severe pain and the average range of motion was less than 40% of the normal shoulder. During the follow-up period 55% had obtained a normal or almost full range of motion and 75% suffered from only slight pain or had no pain at all. Fourteen patients returned to prior work within a mean of nine weeks after treatment. We found no relation between the end-result and the prior pathology. We believe that manipulation with arthroscopy is an effective way of shortening the course of an apparently self-limiting disease and should be considered when conservative treatment fails.