Superior and Anterior Glenoid Labral Tears Are Associated With Increased Neurofilament Concentration.

Background: Pain is a common presentation after glenohumeral labral injuries. However, the source of that pain is undetermined.

Purpose/hypothesis: We aimed to determine if there is a differential expression of nerve fibers around the glenoid labrum and if torn labra have increased neuronal expression compared with untorn labra (rotator cuff repair labra). We hypothesized that the superior labrum would have a higher concentration of neurofilament than would the rest of the labrum and that the concentration of neurofilament would increase at the site of a labral tear.

Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods: Seven labra were sampled at the 3-, 5-, 9-, and 12-o'clock positions during total shoulder arthroplasty. Samples were also collected at the 3-, 5-, and 12-o'clock positions during rotator cuff repair (16 labra), anterior labral repair (6 labra), type II superior labral anterior to posterior (SLAP) repair (4 labra), and capsular release for idiopathic capsulitis (5 labra). Sections were immunostained with antibodies to neurofilament, a specific neuronal marker that is used to identify central and peripheral nerve fibers, and the concentration and intensity of immunostained-positive cells assessed.

Results: The concentration of neurofilament staining was similar in the superior, anterior, posterior, and inferior glenoid labrum in untorn labra (8 neurofilament expressing cells per square millimeter; = .3). Torn labra exhibited a 3- to 4-fold increase in neuronal expression, which was isolated to the location of the tear in SLAP ( = .09) and anterior labral tears ( = .02). The concentration of neurofilament expressing cells in torn glenoid labrum samples was comparable that in with the glenoid labrum of adhesive capsulitis samples ( = .7).

Conclusion: This study supports the hypothesis that after a tear of the anterior or superior labrum the labrum in that region becomes populated with new nerves fibers and that these fibers may be responsible for the pain noted by patients with superior (SLAP) and/or anterior labral (Bankart) tears.

Clinical Relevance: This study suggests that neural infiltration contributes to the pain experienced by patients with labral tears. It may help with patient education and direct future management of labral lesions.