Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical features in patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder associated with rotator cuff tear.
Methods: 69 patients who had undergone arthroscopic surgery for anterior dislocation of the shoulder were investigated from January 2007 to December 2010. These patients were investigated using pre-surgery medical history and physical examination and inspected by MRI and CT arthrogram.
Results: 5 patients were diagnosed preoperatively as Bankart lesion and rotator cuff tear. In this study clinical result was evaluated by JOA score. These patients were 3 males and 2 females, with an average age of 44.0 years old. Bony Bankart lesion was identified in all 5 cases. Physical examinations and image studies (CT and MRI) showed supraspinatus tendon tear. 4 cases had not only anterior but inferior instability of the shoulder explained by sulcus sign. It was decided preoperatively to repair both Bankart lesion and rotator cuff tear and simultaneous arthroscopic Bankart repair and rotator cuff repair was performed in all 5 cases. All 5 cases were followed at least 1 year after operation, no episode of shoulder dislocation was seen. The average JOA score was improved from 78.9 point pre-operatively to 95.9 post-operatively and little limitation of ROM of the shoulder was recognized.
Conclusion: We considered that sulcus sign is one of the important factors in the decision to repair a cuff tear in a patient with recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation.
