ARTHROSCOPIC TREATMENT OF GLENOID LABRAL TEARS

We reviewed 52 consecutive patients who had undergone arthroscopic lab ral debridement. The average age was 29 and there were 35 men and 17 w omen. At operation, 27 patients had superior labrum anterior and poste rior (SLAP) lesions, 20 patients had anteroinferior labral lesions, an d 5 patients had posterior labral lesions. Despite the fact that, preo peratively, none of these patients had a history of dislocations or cl inically evident instability, 70% of the patients with superior labral lesions, and all of those with anteroinferior and posterior lesions h ad instability on examination under anesthesia. The average followup w as 36 months. At 1 year after arthroscopy, 78% of the patients with su perior lesions had excellent relief compared with 30% of the patients in the anteroinferior group. At 2 years followup, these results decrea sed to 63% and 25%, respectively, and only 45% of the patients with su perior labral lesions and 25% of those with anteroinferior lesions had returned to their previous athletic performance level. Four patients required a reoperation: 2 for instability and 2 for impingement. We co nclude that occult instability is frequently present in patients with glenoid labral tears. The overall results are not encouraging, but thi s procedure may have an indication for short-term goals in competitive athletes or those who are willing to accept some compromise in functi on.