Treatment of anterior shoulder instability: a bibliometric analysis

Purpose The treatment of anterior shoulder instability is a focus in the field of sports medicine. While much research has been conducted, few bibliometric studies have been performed in this field. This study analyzed the main characteristics and identified emerging research trends and hotspots related to the treatment of anterior shoulder instability over the past four decades. Methods We searched for (anterior shoulder instability OR anterior shoulder dislocation) AND (treatment OR reconstruction) in ARTICLE (Mesh) in the Web of Science database from 1980 to 2020. We analyzed the keywords, author, institution, country, number of citations, average number of citations, publication year, and partnership of the identified articles. Information about annual publications was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019; the remaining data were analyzed using VOSviewer version 1.6.11 (Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands) and CiteSpace version 5.7.R2 (Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA). Results A total of 1964 articles were published between 1980 and 2020. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, the United States, the United States Department of Defense, and Arcieio were journals, countries, institutions, and authors with the highest numbers of publications. The topic hotspots were instability, shoulder, and dislocation, while the research frontiers were arthroscopic, Bankart repair, Latarjet procedure, risk factors, recurrence, and complications. Conclusion The treatment of anterior shoulder instability has shown an increasing number of publications each year and achieved great progress. The United States made the most outstanding contributions to this important field. Arthroscopic, Bankart repair, and Latarjet procedures were research hotspots and risk factors, recurrence, and complications were likely to research frontiers.

Outcomes of Arthroscopic Latarjet Procedure for Anterior Glenohumeral Instability in Patients With Epilepsy: A Case-Control Study

Background: Unacceptably high rates of redislocation, reoperation, osteoarthritis, and coracoid nonunion have been reported in patients with a seizure disorder after surgery for shoulder instabilitiy. Purpose: To evaluate the objective and subjective functional and radiologic results of the arthroscopic Latarjet procedure for anterior shoulder instability in patients with epilepsy and compare them with the results of patients without epilepsy. Study design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A retrospective and comparative case-control analysis of patients operated for shoulder instability with arthroscopic Latarjet was conducted. Nineteen patients (21 unstable shoulders) with a seizure disorder (epilepsy group) were matched with 21 patients without a history of seizure (control group). Demographics, surgical indications, and imaging data were collected. Clinical outcomes at a minimum 2 years of follow-up (range, 2-9 years) postoperatively included Rowe score, Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI), Constant-Murley Shoulder Outcome (CMSO) score, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE). The incidence of complications, recurrent instability, redislocation, revision surgery, repeated seizure(s), and presence of osteoarthritis, coracoid nonunion, and osteolysis were also examined. Results: After a mean follow-up of 4.5 years, no significant differences in functional results were found between patients with and without epilepsy on the average Rowe ( P = .917), WOSI ( P = .621), CMSO ( P = .600), and SANE ( P = .859) scores. A total of 5 patients (7 shoulders) continued to have seizures postoperatively, but no seizure-related glenohumeral instability was documented. One dislocation and 1 subluxation were documented while participating in sports in each study group, comprising a recurrence rate of 9.5%, but no significant differences were found at comparison ( P = .605). A bone defect did not influence the results, as no significant difference was found between the 2 groups. Osteoarthritic changes of the glenohumeral joint were observed in 5 shoulders (23.8%) in the epilepsy group and in 3 (14.3%) in the control group ( P = .451). No case of coracoid nonunion or osteolysis was recorded. There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative athletic activity ( P = .660). However, patients with epilepsy had significantly lower pre- and postoperative sports participation ( P < .001). Conclusion: Arthroscopic Latarjet stabilization can lead to improved functional and subjective outcomes and should be considered in patients with epilepsy with recurrent anterior glenohumeral instability. These results can be achieved regardless of the presence of bone defect and the postoperative control of seizures and are similar to those in patients without epilepsy.

Does grip strength correlate with rotator cuff strength in patients with atraumatic shoulder instability?

Aim To investigate if there is a correlation between grip strength (GS) and rotator cuff (RC) strength in patients with atraumatic shoulder instability (ASI) and to compare the relationship between these two measures with that previously published for a healthy population. Moreover, to determine if testing GS could be incorporated as a surrogate clinical assessment for RC strength in these patients. Methods A total of 20 subjects with ASI were included. Out of the 20 patients, eight presented with bilateral instability, which constituted a total of 28 atraumatic unstable shoulders (N = 28). GS was measured using a Jamar hand-dynamometer. External rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) strength was tested in inner and outer ranges using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD). Pearson’s correlation test was computed to investigate the relationship. Multiple linear regression was conducted to predict GS based on RC strength. Results Significant and strong positive correlations were found between GS and inner-range IR (r = 0.764, P < 0.001), inner-range ER (r = 0.611, P = 0.001), outer-range IR (r = 0.817, P < 0.001), and outer-range ER (r = 0.736, P < 0.001). A significant regression equation was found (F (4, 23) = 13.254, P < 0.001), with an R2 of 0.697 indicating that RC strength explained 69.7% of the variance in GS. Conclusions The results support the hypothesis showing that GS is strongly associated with RC strength in ASI patients. The simplicity of handgrip testing allows it to be used in clinical scenarios where sophisticated assessment tools are not available. GS is a convenient means to monitor patient progress during shoulder rehabilitation programs.

Reporting of glenoid bone loss measurement in clinical studies and the need for standardization

Aims The amount of glenoid bone loss is an important factor in deciding between soft-tissue and bony reconstruction when managing anterior shoulder instability. Accurate and reproducible measurement of glenoid bone loss is therefore vital in evaluation of shoulder instability and recommending specific treatment. The aim of this systematic review is to identify the range methods and measurement techniques employed in clinical studies treating glenoid bone loss. Methods A systematic review of the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases was undertaken to cover a ten-year period from February 2011 to February 2021. We identified clinical studies that incorporated bone loss assessment in the methodology as part of the decision-making in the management of patients with anterior shoulder instability. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) were used. Results A total of 5,430 articles were identified from the initial search, of which 82 studies met the final inclusion criteria. A variety of imaging methods were used: three studies did not specify which modality was used, and a further 13 used CT or MRI interchangeably. There was considerable heterogeneity among the studies that specified the technique used to quantify glenoid bone loss. A large proportion of the studies did not specify the technique used. Conclusion This systematic review has identified significant heterogeneity in both the imaging modality and method used to measure glenoid bone loss. The recommendation is that as a minimum for publication, authors should be required to reference the specific measurement technique used. Without this simple standardization, it is impossible to determine whether any published paper should influence clinical practice or should be dismissed. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(1):12–18.