Ld. Field et Fh. Savoie, ARTHROSCOPIC SUTURE REPAIR OF SUPERIOR LABRAL DETACHMENT LESIONS OF THE SHOULDER, American journal of sports medicine, 21(6), 1993, pp. 783-790
Twenty consecutive patients with superior labral anterior and posterio
r lesions of the shoulder involving the biceps attachment to the labru
m (Snyder types II and IV) were repaired arthroscopically and reviewed
postoperatively to evaluate the efficacy of the technique in the mana
gement of this recently described injury pattern. Follow-up time avera
ged 21 months (range, 12 to 42). All patients were managed by an arthr
oscopic repair technique that included debridement of the frayed labru
m and abrasion of the superior glenoid neck, followed by the placement
of multiple sutures into the torn labrum-biceps tendon complex using
a Caspari suture punch. Patients were reexamined, and the results were
quantitated with the shoulder evaluation form of the American Shoulde
r and Elbow Surgeons and with the Rowe rating scale. On evaluation, al
l patients obtained good or excellent results. This suture technique i
s recommended in the management of unstable superior labral detachment
lesions of the shoulder.