Arthroscopic Technique for Bone Augmentation With Suture Button Fixation for Anterior Shoulder Instability

Arthroscopic Management of the Contact Athlete with Anterior Instability

Anterior glenohumeral instability is one of the most common injuries suffered from sport. Despite padding and conditioning, the shoulder joint remains particularly vulnerable to injury, especially in the setting of contact. The overall rate of anterior instability is reported to be 0.12 injuries per 1000 athlete exposures, although this is increased up to 0.40 to 0.51 in the contact athlete. Successful treatment requires consideration of restoring stability while minimizing loss of glenohumeral motion. Common treatment strategies involve addressing the pathology that results from anterior shoulder dislocation including labral detachment as well as bony defects to the humeral head and glenoid.

Sutures, Screws, Buttons, and Anchors: A Review of Current Bone Graft Fixation Devices for Glenoid Bone Loss in the Unstable Shoulder

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Anterior shoulder instability is associated with concomitant injury to several stabilizing structures of the shoulder, including glenoid bone loss. While instability is most common in young athletes and patients with predisposing conditions of hyperlaxity, recurrent shoulder instability can occur throughout various age ranges and may lead to longer term effects including pain and shoulder arthritis. Glenoid bone loss exceeding certain thresholds is generally treated by glenoid reconstruction via bone block augmentation to adequately stabilize the glenohumeral joint. These procedures increase the width of the articular surface on which the humeral head can translate before dislocation and, based on the procedure performed, provide a sling effect via the conjoined tendon, and increase tension to support the anterior capsule. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available literature regarding bone block fixation techniques.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Various fixation techniques have been utilized to secure bone block transfers. Though screw fixation has traditionally been used for bone block fixation, suture buttons, suture anchors, and all-suture techniques have been utilized in attempts to avoid complications associated with the use of screws. Biomechanical studies report variable force-resistance, displacement, and mode of failure when comparing screw to suture button-based fixation of glenoid bone blocks. Clinical and radiographic studies have shown these novel suture-based techniques to be comparable, and in some cases advantageous, to traditional screw fixation techniques. While screw fixation has long been the standard of care in glenoid bone block procedures, it is associated with high complication rates, leading surgeons to endeavor toward new fixation techniques. In available biomechanical studies, screw fixation has consistently demonstrated high maximal load-to-failure and displacement with cyclic loading. Studies have reported similar clinical and radiographic outcomes in both screw and suture-based fixation methods, with evidence of reduced bone resorption with suture fixation. While suture button fixation is associated with a higher rate of recurrent instability, overall complication rates are low. Future research should address biomechanical shortcomings of suture-based fixation techniques and continue to assess long-term follow-up of patients treated with each fixation method.

Arthroscopic Distal Clavicle Bone Bock Combined With Hill-Sachs Remplissage for Primary Anterior Shoulder Instability Treatment

Arthroscopic distal clavicle transfer is an effective option to treat anterior shoulder instability with glenoid bone loss. The use of this free bone graft in an all-inside procedure, with a cortical button fixation makes the construct simpler to perform and allows to be combined with a Hill-Sachs Remplissage to address humeral bone defect. The morbidity of the donor site is low and provide the biologic capacity of an autograft. We report a step-by-step procedure, and the rationale are discussed.

Recurrent Instability after the Latarjet Procedure

The Latarjet procedure is a favored approach for managing chronic and recurrent dislocation, especially in the presence of bone loss. Although generally yielding excellent results, the procedure carries a 15 to 30% complication rate. Although recurrent instability is a major concern, various complications such as infection, nerve injuries, and hardware impingement can also necessitate revision after a Latarjet procedure. Strategies for addressing this issue include glenoid bone grafting, using autogenous bone grafts from the iliac crest or distal clavicle, and allografts, with fresh lateral distal tibial allografts offering advantages because of their osteochondral nature. In addition, soft-tissue procedures offer another solution for recurrent instability, suitable for patients lacking substantial bone loss or those experiencing multidirectional instability. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the causes and management strategies for recurrent instability following a failed Latarjet procedure.

Arthroscopic Remnant Coracoid Autograft for Revision of the Failed Latarjet Procedure With Persistent Glenoid Bone Loss

Recurrence of anterior instability after a Latarjet procedure with persistent glenoid bone loss can be related to coracoid bone block resorption, migration, or malposition. Multiple options are available to address anterior glenoid bone loss, including autograft bone transfers (such as iliac crest graft, distal clavicle autograft) or allografts (distal tibia allograft). Here, we present the use of the remnant coracoid process as an option for consideration in the treatment of glenoid bone loss after failed Latarjet procedure with persistent glenoid bone loss. The remnant coracoid autograft is harvested and transferred inside the glenohumeral joint, through the rotator interval, and fixed using cortical buttons. This arthroscopic procedure includes using 1) glenoid and coracoid drilling guides to optimize graft positioning and making the procedure more reproducible and safer and 2) a suture tensioning device to provide intraoperative graft compression and ensure bone graft healing.

Arthroscopic Anterior Glenoid Bone Grafting for Shoulder Instability Using an Interconnected Suture Anchor Technique

Anterior bone grafting is an established and frequently used treatment option for recurrent anterior shoulder instability in combination with significant glenoid bone loss. Several open and arthroscopic fixation techniques have been presented to this field in recent years. Some of these techniques are associated with different peri- and postoperative problems or complications. Therefore, the technical gold standard for anterior bone grafting has not been determined, resulting in an ongoing evolvement of bone-grafting techniques. Arthroscopic, metal-free fixation procedures were introduced to the field bone grafting to overcome previous problems of screw fixation. These metal-free techniques frequently include surgically challenging transglenoidal drilling and are placing anterior soft tissues and neurovascular structures at risk. We therefore present an arthroscopic anterior, PEEK (polyether ether ketone)-anchor based, interconnecting bone-grafting technique bypassing previous challenges to restore the anterior glenoid bone stock with adequate positioning and fixation of the bone graft.

Arthroscopic Technique for Distal Tibial Allograft Bone Augmentation With Suture Anchor Fixation for Anterior Shoulder Instability

Recurrent instability associated with glenoid bone loss is a commonly encountered problem after anterior shoulder dislocation. Surgical management with bony augmentation can be achieved with several allograft or autograft options. Fixation strategies also vary, including screw, suture button, or suture anchor fixation. Concerns exist regarding screw fixation because of the technical difficulty of a medial portal establishment, as well as the potential for graft osteolysis. Suture button fixation for osteochondral graft fixation has been previously described. However, no description of graft fixation using suture anchors exists. We describe an arthroscopic technique for glenoid augmentation using distal tibial allograft with suture anchor fixation.

Arthroscopic Iliac Crest Bone Graft Augmentation Using All-Suture Anchors for Shoulder Instability Caused by Glenoid Bone Loss

Augmentation of the anterior glenoid with bone graft is an established treatment for recurrent anterior instability due to critical glenoid bone loss. Both open and arthroscopic techniques have been described. Fixation with metal screws through an open approach is the most common technique, but the risk of metal screw-related complications remains a concern. A variety of arthroscopic techniques using suspensory fixation or suture anchors have been described in the literature. However, they all require a posterior incision to insert a targeting device or to manage sutures. We describe a technique for arthroscopic bone grafting of the anterior glenoid via a purely anterior approach with 2 linked knotless suture anchors, thereby avoiding posterior suture management and glenoid metalwork complications.

Open Stabilization Procedures of the Shoulder in the Athlete: Indications, Techniques, and Outcomes

Shoulder instability is a relatively common injury especially in the young athletic population and its surgical management continues to remain a controversial topic in sports medicine orthopedics. Anterior instability is the most common type encountered and is estimated to have an incidence rate of 0.08 per 1000 person-years in the general population; however, this figure is likely higher in the young athletic population. While in recent practice, arthroscopic surgery has become the new gold standard for management, reported failure rates as high as 26% and high recurrence rates in specific subpopulations such as young men in high collision sports have led to the consideration of alternative open procedures such as open Bankart repair, Latarjet, capsular shift, and glenoid bone grafting. These procedures may be preferred in specific patient subgroups such as young athletes involved in contact sports and those with Hill-Sachs defects and multidirectional instability, with postoperative recurrence rates of instability as low as 10%. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of different open surgical techniques in the management of shoulder instability and summarize patient outcomes including recurrence rates for shoulder instability, return to sport, range of motion (ROM), muscle strength, and complications either individually by procedure or in comparison with other techniques, with special focus on their impact in the athletic population.

Arthroscopic Distal Clavicular Autograft for Congruent Glenoid Reconstruction

Arthroscopic distal clavicular autograft (DCA) is effective in shoulder instability with glenoid bone loss. The original technique uses an osteochondral autograft, fixed with screws or suture anchors. We developed a modified procedure called "congruent arc DCA" characterized by (1) use of drilling guides to optimize graft positioning and make the all-arthroscopic procedure safer and reproducible; (2) rotation of the DCA of 90° to reach a congruent arc with its undersurface; (3) fixation of the graft with cortical buttons to simplify its intra-articular passage, avoid hardware problems, and facilitate possible revision surgery; and (4) intraoperative use of a suture tensioner to achieve satisfactory compression of the graft and increase its consolidation.

Radiological outcomes of iliac crest bone graft augmentation for glenoid bone loss using an open all-suture anchor and washer fixation technique

Background

Many of the complications related to bone block augmentation for recurrent shoulder instability are related to metal screw fixation. Alternative fixation techniques using suspensory fixation have been described with good results, although they require an additional posterior incision to manage the button. It was postulated that the use of an all-suture anchor would remove the requirement for a posterior incision, whilst providing equivalent union rates. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the radiological outcome of a technique using all-suture anchor fixation of iliac crest autograft.

Methods

Eleven patients (mean age 28 years, 10 males, 1 female) underwent open anterior shoulder stabilization using an autologous iliac crest bone graft that was fixed with all-suture anchors and supplemented by 2-hole tibial plate. Union of the graft was evaluated 6 months postoperatively using computed tomography.

Results

There were no intraoperative complications and none of the participants needed further surgery. All patients reported a stable shoulder at 6 months follow-up. The grafts united in 10 out of the 11 patients.

Conclusion

An all-suture anchor construct is a viable alternative to metal screw fixation for iliac crest bone grafting in shoulder instability with critical bone loss, and unlike suspensory techniques does not require a second posterior incision.

Latarjet Cerclage: The Metal-Free Fixation

The Latarjet technique is a widely used technique for anterior shoulder instability with glenoid bone defects, irreparable capsuloligamentous lesion, or in patients at greater risk of recurrence. The use of this technique has been reported to obtain satisfactory clinical and biomechanical results. Although other methods exist, the coracoid process is typically fixed with 2 metal screws. Complications related to metal fixation are very frequently reported. In an attempt to avoid these complications, we developed this arthroscopically assisted metal-free Latarjet technique in which we fix a coracoid graft using four cerclage tapes to achieve a strong, stable fixation, thus mimicking a plate.