Outcomes following arthroscopic repair of humeral avulsion of the glenohumeral ligament (HAGL) lesion: A systematic review.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate patient outcomes following arthroscopic surgical management for a humeral avulsion of the glenohumeral ligament (HAGL) lesion.

Methods: Based on PRISMA guidelines, two independent reviewers performed a literature search to isolate studies on arthroscopic HAGL repair. The functional outcomes, return to play (RTP), and recurrent instability from each study were extracted and analyzed.

Results: Overall, 7 manuscripts were included with 49 patients. The patient population was 61.4% male with a mean age of 24.8 years (15-42 years), and 41.9 months of follow-up on average (12-104 months). The Rowe score was the most frequently reported outcome measure with a weighted mean of 89. In total, 81.2% of patients reported being able to RTP post-operatively, with 70.5% reported being able to play at an equal or higher level. There was 1 recurrent dislocation (2%).

Conclusion: The current study found successful clinical outcomes following the arthroscopic management of HAGL lesions. Recurrent dislocation requiring revision was rare, with high rates of return to play including those who could return to the same level of play. However, the paucity of evidence does not permit a statement of best-practice to be made.