Functional results and patient satisfaction after arthroscopic capsular release of idiopathic and post-traumatic stiff shoulder.

Purpose: The purpose of this prospective study was to compare the functional results and patient satisfaction after arthroscopic shoulder capsular release in patients with idiopathic and posttraumatic stiff shoulder.

Methods: The study included 50 patients who underwent arthroscopic capsular release after failure of conservative treatment. The etiology of stiffness was either idiopathic (25 patients) or post-traumatic (25 patients). There were 28 women and 22 men with an average age of 49 years (range, 32-70 years). All patients were treated with physical therapy for a mean of six months (range, 3-12 months) before surgery. Range of motion was measured three times: 48 hours after surgery, then one month and six months after surgery.

Results: Constant score showed improvement for both groups of patients in the period of six months after surgery. In the group with idiopathic stiffness the score increased from 36 to 86, while in the group with post-traumatic stiff shoulder the score advanced from 32 to 91. The idiopathic stiff shoulder group had an improved active forward flexion from 90 to 161°, external rotation from 10 to 40°, and internal rotation from L5 to L1. In the post-traumatic stiff shoulder groupthe forward flexion was improved from 95 to 170°, external rotation from 13 to 40° and internal rotation from L4 to L1.

Conclusion: There was an improvement of range of motions and patients' satisfaction after arthroscopic shoulder capsular release and manipulation under anesthesia, equally in idiopathic and post-traumatic stiff shoulder, compared to the situation before surgery. Post-traumatic contracture patients expressed higher level of satisfaction with their shoulder function than the idiopathic stiff shoulder patients.