Ninety-day complications following the Latarjet procedure

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe the rate and type of complications occurring within 90 days following the Latarjet procedure for anterior glenohumeral instability.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing the Latarjet procedure by fellowship-trained surgeons from a single institution between 2007 and 2016 were included for analysis. Indications for the Latarjet procedure included primary or recurrent anterior instability with clinically significant anterior glenoid bone loss and/or failed prior arthroscopic stabilization. Patients undergoing the Latarjet procedure after prior glenoid bone grafting were excluded. All complications that occurred within 90 days of surgery were analyzed and correlated with demographic factors.

Results: A total of 146 consecutive patients (146 shoulders) were included. Of these patients, 11 were lost to follow-up and 2 were excluded for having undergone prior open bone grafting. Among the remaining 133 patients (average age, 28.5 ± 11.8 years; 75% male patients), 10 total complications occurred within 90 days of surgery, for an overall short-term complication rate of 7.5%. Of these 10 complications, 6 required subsequent surgery, with recurrent instability in 2 cases (overall rate, 1.50%), infection in 2 (overall rate, 1.50%), musculocutaneous nerve palsy in 1 (overall rate, 0.75%), and postoperative pain in 1 (overall rate, 0.75%). The remaining 4 complications were transient, resolving with nonoperative treatment. No cases of hardware failure or graft osteolysis were reported.

Conclusions: The overall 90-day complication rate following the Latarjet procedure for anterior shoulder stabilization was 7.5%. In 6 of the 10 cases, complications led to subsequent surgery, including recurrent instability in 2, while in the remaining 4 cases, the complications were transient and resolved with nonoperative treatment.

Keywords: 90-day complications; Anterior shoulder instability; Latarjet; nerve injury; recurrent instability; shoulder stabilization.