The Latarjet Procedure Without Remplissage Is Effective to Restore Stability in Athletes With Glenoid Bone Defects Greater Than 25% and Off-Track Hill-Sachs Lesions

Purpose: There were 2 main purposes in this study: (1) to report on clinical outcomes of the Latarjet procedure without remplissage in athletes with glenoid bone defects greater than 25% and off-track Hill-Sachs lesions and (2) to determine whether the isolated Latarjet procedure converted off-track Hill-Sachs lesions to on-track Hill-Sachs lesions as measured on computed tomography (CT). Methods: During the study period, a total of 29 athletes who had anterior glenohumeral instability with glenoid bone defects greater than 25% and off-track Hill-Sachs lesions, who underwent Latarjet surgery, and who had a minimum follow-up period of 24 months were included in this study. The glenoid track was analyzed before and 3 months after the procedure using 3-dimensional CT. Return to sport and range of motion, as well as the Rowe score, visual analog scale score for pain during sports activity, and Athletic Shoulder Outcome Scoring System score, were used to assess functional outcomes. Recurrences were also evaluated. Results: The mean follow-up period was 35 months (standard deviation [SD], 6 months), and the mean age was 30 years (SD, 2 years). Of the patients, 27 (93%) were able to return to sports and 25 (86%) returned to the same level as before their injury. No significant difference in shoulder range of motion was found between preoperative and postoperative results. The Rowe, visual analog scale, and Athletic Shoulder Outcome Scoring System scores showed statistically significant improvements after surgery (P < .001). The mean width of the glenoid pathway changed significantly from 21.5 mm (SD, 2.54 mm) in the preoperative period to 35.1 mm (SD, 5.46 mm) at 3 months' follow-up. All the Hill-Sachs lesions remained on track, and no patient had recurrence of instability at the end of follow-up. No complications occurred in this series. Conclusions: The Latarjet procedure was effective to restore stability in athletes with recurrent glenohumeral instability with glenoid bone defects greater than 25% and off-track Hill-Sachs lesions, avoiding recurrence in all patients after an average follow-up period of 35 months. Moreover, the Latarjet procedure converted all off-track Hill-Sachs lesions to on-track Hill-Sachs lesions as measured on CT. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.