SLAP Lesions: Trends in Treatment

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the trends in SLAP repairs over time, including patient age, and percentage of SLAP repairs versus other common shoulder arthroscopic procedures.

Methods: The records of 4 sports or shoulder/elbow fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeons were used to identify the total number of common shoulder arthroscopic cases performed between 2004 and 2014 using current procedural terminology codes (CPT): 29822, 29823, 29826, 29827, 29806, 29807, 29825, and 29828. The number of SLAP repairs (CPT code 29807) as a combined or isolated procedure were recorded, and the classification of SLAP type was undertaken using operative reports. Patient age was recorded. Linear regression was used to determine statistical significance.

Results: There were 9,765 patients who underwent arthroscopic shoulder procedures using the defined CPT codes between 2004 and 2014 by our 4 orthopaedic surgeons. Of these, 619 underwent a SLAP repair (6.3%); average age 31.2 ± 11.9. The age of patients undergoing SLAP repair significantly decreased over time (P < .001, R(2) = 0.794). Most SLAP repairs were performed on type II SLAP tears (P = .015, R(2) = 0.503). The percentage of SLAP repairs compared with the total number of shoulder arthroscopic surgeries and total number of patients who underwent SLAP repair significantly decreased over time (P < .001, R(2) = 0.832 and P = .002, R(2) = 0.674, respectively). Conversely, the number and percentage of biceps tenodeses are increasing over time (P = .0024 and P = .0099, respectively).

Conclusions: Over the past 10 years, the total number of biceps tenodeses has increased, whereas the number and relative percentage of SLAP repairs within our practice have decreased. The average age of patients undergoing SLAP repair is decreasing, and most SLAP repairs are performed for type II SLAP tears.

Level of evidence: Level IV, therapeutic case series.