OBJECTIVE: Anterior and anterior-lower instability of the shoulder without a glenoid labral lesion was arthroscopically treated by thermal capsulorrhaphy and closing of the rotator space, and results were evaluated for stability and functional improvement. METHODS: From January 1998 to June 2002, 11 patients were submitted to this procedure, immobilized for five weeks, and then treated by physiotherapy. All patients were evaluated pre- and post-operatively by the Neer, Rower, and UCLA scale, and in the post-operative period, by the ASES scale. RESULTS: During the follow-up period between 46 and 97 months, mean 75.54 months all shoulders were stable. Comparing the evolution from the pre- to the post-operative period, there was an improvement according to the Neer scale, and no patient displayed satisfactory results in the pre-operative period and eight had satisfactory results in the post-operative period. According to the Rowe scale, the pre-operative mean was 36.8, and the post-operative mean was 81.6 points. The UCLA scale presented a pre-operative mean of 23.45, and a post-operative mean of 31.18 point. According to all scales, there was a statistically significant improvement (p = 0.05). The ASES scale showed a post-operative mean of 77.2 points. CONCLUSION: The arthroscopic procedure being studied provides stability and functional improvement.
Joint instability; Shoulder dislocation; Arthroscopy; Treatment outcome
