Failed instability surgery

Abstract

Glenohumeral instability is very common in the general population and many surgical techniques have been described for the treatment of this condition, each with different indications according to the pathological findings and patient’s age, gender, and activity level. Despite the evolution in knowledge of the pathology and surgical techniques treating shoulder instability, a certain risk of failure, reported in a percentage between 4 and 30 %, still exists after primary surgical stabilization: arthroscopic, open or with bone block procedure. Nevertheless, the percentage of failure could be even higher when not only a recurrence of instability (dislocation or subluxation) but also a painful or a stiff shoulder is considered as a failure.