Recurrent posterior instability (subluxation) of the shoulder. x

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Hawkins RJ. Koppert G. Johnston G. x Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery - Am. 66(2):169 -74, 1984 Feb. A retrospective survey of fifty shoulders in thirty-five patients with x recurrent posterior instability revealed generally poor results of x treatment, particularly of operative treatment. Only eleven of the x shoulders had a primary traumatic insult as the event initiating the x instability. Although forty-one of the affected shoulders demonstrated x voluntary instability, it was the associated involuntary, unintentional x instability of these shoulders that prompted the patients to seek medical x attention. Pain and functional impairment relating to work and to the x activities of daily living were not significant in most of these patients. x The results of surgical reconstruction were generally poor, the recurrence x rate was 50 per cent (thirteen of twenty-six shoulders), and there were x complications in five of the twenty-six shoulders that had been operated x on. Attention is drawn to the complication of degenerative osteoarthritis x that is associated with posterior glenoid osteotomy. We advise care in the x selection of patients for surgical reconstruction. x