RECURRENT POSTERIOR GLENOHUMERAL DISLOCATION ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RETROVERSION OF THE GLENOID

Recurrent traumatic posterior glenohumeral dislocation is rare and pro bably represents < 5% of all recurrent shoulder instability cases.(4) Operative management of this problem is considered when symptomatic re current instability occurs despite an adequate physician-directed reha bilitation program.(2,7,9,13,15,17,19) Before surgery, it is essential to recognize all directions of instability and any anatomic factors t hat may predispose the shoulder to recurrent instability, such as hume ral head or glenoid defects, abnormal glenoid version or other anthrop omorphic abnormalities, rotator cuff tears, neurologic injuries, or ge neralized ligamentous laxity. The authors report on a patient who had 2 previous failed attempts at posterior capsulorrhaphy for recurrent p osterior shoulder dislocation after an atraumatic injury. The patient demonstrated a previously unrecognized unilateral increase in glenoid fossa retroversion and was successfully treated with a posterior openi ng wedge osteotomy of the scapular neck.