CAPSULORRHAPHY THROUGH AN ANTERIOR APPROACH FOR THE TREATMENT OF ATRAUMATIC POSTERIOR GLENOHUMERAL INSTABILITY WITH MULTIDIRECTIONAL LAXITYOF THE SHOULDER

Between June 1983 and March 1992, we performed a capsular reconstructi on procedure through an anterior approach in ten patients (ten shoulde rs) who had multidirectional laxity of the shoulder and symptomatic at raumatic posterior glenohumeral instability, The procedure included cl osure of the capsule in the rotator interval and imbrication of the an terior, inferior, and posteroinferior aspects of the capsule by a doub le-breasting technique that decreases the overall capsular volume. The mean duration of follow-up was sixty months (range, twenty-four to 10 3 months). According to the system of Rowe and Zarins, the result was graded as excellent for five shoulders, good for four, and poor for on e. On the basis of our results, we recommend capsular reconstruction t hrough an anterior approach only in patients who have persistent multi directional laxity and symptomatic atraumatic posterior instability of the shoulder despite participation in an intensive rehabilitation pro gram.