Children and adolescents with posttraumatic shoulder instability benefit from arthroscopic stabilization

Traumatic Anterior Instability: Treatment Options for Initial Instability

Because of the lack of bony restraints and minimal articular contact, the glenohumeral joint can attain significant range of motion; however, this results in the propensity for instability. The most generic form of instability, traumatic anterior instability, reliably produces a series of pathoanatomic findings. While reliable, these findings contribute to the complexities of caring for patients after an initial instability event. Numerous studies have examined this issue and determined that careful consideration of patient factors can guide successful treatment, whether it be surgical or nonsurgical, after initial instability. Such forms of treatment have shown to provide a good functional outcome and decreases morbidity. To be able to provide successful treatment requires a thorough understanding of the pathoanatomic of an instability event and the intricacies of the evaluation of a patient after an initial instability event.

Surgical Versus Nonoperative Treatment in Patients Up to 18 Years Old With Traumatic Shoulder Instability: A Systematic Review and Quantitative Synthesis of the Literature

PURPOSE

To compare the outcome of surgical and nonoperative treatment in patients aged 18 years or younger with traumatic shoulder instability.

METHODS

A systematic review according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was performed. A complete search of PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, Embase, and Google Scholar databases was performed using various combinations of the keywords "shoulder," "instability," "glenohumeral instability," "pediatric," "adolescent," "skeletally immature," "young," "open physis," "children," "management," "treatment," "surgical," "stabilization," and "recurrence." There was no time restriction.

RESULTS

Fifteen articles met our inclusion criteria, including a total of 693 patients with 705 shoulders aged 18 years or younger. Of 411 shoulders, 293 (71.3%) treated with a nonoperative approach experienced a redislocation compared with 55 of 314 shoulders (17.5%) that received surgical treatment. The results of the quantitative synthesis showed that the recurrence rate was significantly lower in the surgical group compared with the nonoperative group.

CONCLUSIONS

The recurrence rate is lower in patients undergoing surgical treatment. Further studies are necessary to clarify several points in the treatment of skeletally immature patients with traumatic shoulder instability.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, systematic review of Level II and III studies and 1 case series.