Functional assessment for shoulder impingement syndrome after anterior acromioplasty

Impingement syndrome is a common cause of shoulder pain. Conservative treatment should always be initially considered. But for those patients with persistent symptoms, open acromioplasty is a reliable method to relieve pain and improve function.

From May 1989 to September 1994, a series of 36 anterior acromioplasties for impingement syndrome of the shoulder in 34 patients was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, rotator cuff tear was found in 25, and concomitant cuff repair was performed in 20. Five shoulders were not repaired because of a massive tear with marked cuff retraction. Neer's functional criteria and Constant's functional score were used to evaluate the results of anterior acromioplasty. The postoperative evaluation included patient satisfaction, relief of pain, range of motion and full use of the shoulder.

Thirty-four patients with an average follow-up of 34 months were available for assessment. The average Constant's functional score was 94.7 points in the excellent group (55.5%), 77.2 points in the good group (30.5%) and 58.6 points in the poor group (13.9%).

Overall there was an 86% satisfactory rate by Neer's criteria. Anterior acromioplasty appears to be an effective procedure for shoulder impingement syndrome.