Comparison Between Modified Latarjet Performed as a Primary or Revision Procedure in Competitive Athletes: A Comparative Study of 100 Patients With a Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.

Background: The literature lacks evidence comparing outcomes between the Latarjet procedure performed as a primary procedure versus a revision procedure in competitive athletes.

Purpose: To compare return to sport, functional outcomes, and complications of the modified Latarjet performed as a primary or revision procedure in competitive athletes.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: Between June 2008 and June 2015, a total of 100 competitive athletes with recurrent anterior shoulder instability underwent surgery with the congruent arc Latarjet procedure without capsulolabral repair. There were 46 patients with primary repairs and 54 with revisions. Return to sport, range of motion (ROM), the Rowe score, a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain in sport activity, and the Athletic Shoulder Outcome Scoring System (ASOSS) were used to assess functional outcomes. Recurrences were also evaluated. The postoperative bone block position and consolidation were assessed by computed tomography.

Results: The mean follow-up period was 58 months (range, 24-108 months). A total of 96 patients (96%) returned to competitive sports; 91% returned to their preinjury level of play. No significant difference in shoulder ROM was found between preoperative and postoperative results. The Rowe, VAS, and ASOSS scores showed statistically significant improvements after surgery ( .001). The Rowe score increased from a preoperative mean of 43.8 to a postoperative mean of 96.1 ( < .01). Subjective pain during sports improved from a preoperative VAS score of 3.3 to a postoperative score of 1.2 ( < .01). The ASOSS score improved significantly from a preoperative mean of 46.3 to a postoperative mean of 88.1 ( < .001). No significant differences in shoulder ROM and functional scores were found between patients who underwent a primary versus a revision procedure. No recurrence of shoulder dislocation or subluxation was noted. The bone block healed in 91 patients (91%).

Conclusion: In competitive athletes with recurrent anterior glenohumeral instability, the modified Latarjet procedure produced excellent functional outcomes, with most athletes returning to sport at the same level they had before surgery and without recurrence, regardless of whether the surgery was performed as a primary or a revision procedure.