Abstract
Arthroscopy is very useful for treating patients with paralabral cysts of the shoulder because associated labral tears can be repaired simultaneously. However, it is not known whether arthroscopic treatment would be effective for paralabral cysts without associated labral tears. We report a 25-year-old, right-handed volleyball player who presented with a 2-year history of right shoulder pain associated with overhead activities. MRI showed a cystic lesion adjacent to the superior glenoid labrum. CT arthrography did not show any connections between the cyst and the glenohumeral joint. Physical examinations revealed no evidence of suprascapular nerve palsy. Arthroscopic examinations demonstrated neither labral pathology nor rotator cuff tears. Capsulotomy was performed near the posterior superior labrum, and the capsule and paralabral cyst drained into the glenohumeral joint. One year after surgery, the patient was pain-free and was able to return to sports without restrictions. The JSS score was improved from 50 points preoperatively to 90 points at the latest follow-up. MRI at the final follow-up showed no recurrent cyst. Arthroscopic decompression of the paralabral cyst was effective even though intraarticular pathology was absent. Intraoperative needle aspiration through the glenohumeral joint makes it easy to determine the proper position of the capsulotomy.
