Arthroscopic suture repair of superior labral detachment lesions of the shoulder

Abstract

Twenty consecutive patients with superior labral ante rior and posterior lesions of the shoulder involving the biceps attachment to the labrum (Snyder types II and IV) were repaired arthroscopically and reviewed post operatively to evaluate the efficacy of the technique in the management of this recently described injury pat tern. Follow-up time averaged 21 months (range, 12 to 42). All patients were managed by an arthroscopic repair technique that included debridement of the frayed labrum and abrasion of the superior glenoid neck, fol lowed by the placement of multiple sutures into the torn labrum-biceps tendon complex using a Caspari suture punch. Patients were reexamined, and the results were quantitated with the shoulder evaluation form of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and with the Rowe rating scale. On evaluation, all patients obtained good or excellent results. This suture technique is recommended in the management of unstable superior labral detachment lesions of the shoulder.