ARTHROSCOPIC CAPSULAR PLICATION FOR POSTERIOR SHOULDER INSTABILITY

Seventeen patients with recurrent posterior shoulder instability under went posterior capsular plication with or without suture anchors, betw een 1990 and 1992. Minimum 2-year follow-up was available for 14 patie nts (average, 33 months; range, 24 to 45 months). The etiology involve d trauma in 9 cases, recurrent microtrauma in 4 cases, and no trauma i n 1 case. Posterior capsular laxity was present in all 14 cases and wa s believed to be the primary pathology, although 12 patients showed so me form of labral pathology. The patients were interviewed and assesse d in six categories: pain, strength, function, stability, range-of-mot ion, and satisfaction. Twelve patients had excellent results and 2 had fair results. Nine of 10 patients who participate in recreational or competitive athletics reported full return to their preinjury level of function in their respective sports. There was one recurrence of post erior shoulder instability which was remedied with a second arthroscop ic posterior capsular reconstruction. All 14 patients were satisfied w ith the results of their surgery and no complications were noted. Caps ular plication is a promising technique in the treatment of recurrent posterior shoulder instability.