Arthroscopic Management of Instability of the Shoulder

Anterior shoulder dislocation in the young athlete may be difficult to treat and, without proper care, usually results in recurrent episodes of instability. By permitting direct visualization of all intraarticular pathology, the arthroscope assists in the diagnosis and helps to determine appropriate therapeutic interventions. Numerous techniques have been developed for arthroscopic reconstruction of unstable shoulders. These can be classified according to the type of fixation employed. The categories include metal devices such as staples or screws, absorbable devices, and suture-based methods, both anterior and transglenoid. An anterior suture anchor method using a new suture passing device known as a Shuttle Relay (Linvatec Corp, Largo, Fla), which allows the surgeon to incorporate non-absorbable mattress sutures in the repair, is described in detail.