Bipolar Bone Defects in Shoulders With Primary Instability: Dislocation Versus Subluxation

Abstract

Background: In shoulders with traumatic anterior instability, a bipolar bone defect has been recognized as an important indicator of the prognosis. Purpose: To investigate bipolar bone defects at primary instability and compare the difference between dislocation and subluxation. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: There were 156 shoulders (156 patients) including 91 shoulders with dislocation and 65 shoulders with subluxation. Glenoid defects and Hill-Sachs lesions were classified into 5 size categories on 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scans and were allocated scores ranging from 0 (no defect) to 4 points (very large defect). To assess the combined size of the glenoid defect and Hill-Sachs lesion, the scores for both lesions were summed (range, 0-8 points). Patients in the dislocation and subluxation groups were compared regarding the prevalence of a glenoid defect, a bone fragment of bony Bankart lesion, a Hill-Sachs lesion, a bipolar bone defect, and an off-track Hill-Sachs lesion. Then, the combined size of the bipolar bone defects was compared between the dislocation and subluxation groups and among patients stratified by age at the time of CT scanning (<20, 20-29, and ≥30 years). Results: Hill-Sachs lesions were observed more frequently in the dislocation group (75.8%) compared with the subluxation group (27.7%; P <20 years, 1.6 ± 1.2 points; 20-29 years, 1.9 ± 1.5 points; ≥30 years, 3.4 ± 1.6 points; P