Open Capsulorrhaphy for Recurrent Multidirectional Instability of the Shoulder

Background: The management of multidirectional instability (MDI) of the shoulder remains challenging, especially in athletes who participate in sports and may require multiple surgical procedures to achieve shoulder stabilization. Open or arthroscopic procedures can be performed to address shoulder MDI. Indications: Open capsulorrhaphy is preferred in patients with underlying tissue hyperlaxity and who had 1 or more, previously failed, arthroscopic shoulder stabilization procedures. Technique Description: With the patient in the beach-chair position (45°), tissue dissection is performed to the level of subscapularis tendon via the deltopectoral approach. The subscapularis tenotomy is performed in an L-shaped fashion, and the subscapularis tendon is tagged with multiple sutures and mobilized. Careful separation of the subscapularis tendon from the underlying capsular tissue is critical. Capsulotomy is performed, consisting of a vertical limb and an inferior limb that extends to the 5 o’clock position on the humeral neck (right shoulder). After evaluating the integrity of the labrum, the capsule is shifted superiorly and laterally, and repaired using 4 to 5 suture anchors. The redundant capsule is excised, and the subscapularis tendon is repaired in a side-to-side fashion, augmented by transosseous equivalent repair using the capsular sutures. Results: Adequate shoulder stabilization was achieved following open capsulorrhaphy in a young female athlete with tissue hyperlaxity and history of a previously failed arthroscopic soft tissue stabilization surgery of the shoulder. The athlete returned to sport at 6 months postoperatively and did not experience recurrent shoulder instability episodes at midterm follow-up. Discussion/Conclusion: Based on the existing literature, 82% to 97% of patients who underwent open capsulorrhaphy for MDI had no recurrent shoulder instability episodes at midterm follow-up. One study reported 64% return-to-sport rate following open capsulorrhaphy in 15 adolescent athletes with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but more research is necessary to better define the indications and outcomes of this procedure in physically active patients.

Medial and Lateral Combined Ligament Arthroscopic Repair for Multidirectional Ankle Instability

Background: The high prevalence of ankle sprains in the population produces a significant number of patients with lateral instability. Persistence of this condition may lead to the progressive involvement of medial structures, causing a multidirectional rotational instability. Methods: This is a retrospective study with patients diagnosed with multidirectional instability who underwent ankle arthroscopy with medial (arthroscopic tensioning) and lateral repair (arthroscopic Bröstrom) between January 2018 and January 2020. All patients were evaluated for pain and function according to the visual analog scale (VAS) score and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Hindfoot Score at a mean of 14.8 months (5-27 months) in follow-up. A total of 30 ankles (29 patients) were included in the study. Results: The AOFAS score increase from a 49.7 (CI 5.8) to a 91.9 (CI 2.4) mean ( P = .001) and was followed by significant improvement in the mean VAS score (6.8, CI 0.37-0.95, CI 0.31). The majority of patients had associated procedures (53.3%), and a low complication rate was found (16.6%). Conclusion: Combined medial and lateral arthroscopic repair might be an effective and safe alternative in the treatment of multidirectional instability. Inclusion of the deltoid ligament complex and the low invasiveness of the arthroscopic technique may improve the clinical outcomes of these patients. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.