J Korean Orthop Assoc.  2010 Aug;45(4):243-248.

Follow-up Result in Repairing a Type II Superior Labrum Anterior and Posterior (SLAP) Lesion when Associated with Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

• Lee SM
• Park JC
• Song SW
• Kim SI
• Park BY
• Rhee SK

Abstract

PURPOSE
Type II superior labral anterior posterior (SLAP) lesions can occur in the setting of impingement syndrome. The authors compared the clinical results of patients who had undergone either an isolated acromioplasty or a combined type II SLAP repair and acromioplasty. MATERIALS AND
METHODS
Between 2003 and 2008, a total of 75 cases of SLAP II lesions associated with impingement syndrome were recruited. In 39 patients, the type II SLAP lesion was repaired and acromioplasty was performed. In the other 35 patients, acromioplasty was performed alone. All patients were evaluated using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) questionnaire and range of motion.
RESULTS
At an average of 33 months postoperatively, the ASES scores significantly increased in both groups (p<0.001) but the ASES score was similar in the 2 groups (p=0.278). However, there was a significant difference in the ASES scores when the competitive sports activity of the 2 groups of patients postoperatively were compared (p=0.014). The SLAP repair patients showed limited external rotation motion compared to the acromioplasty alone patients (p=0.026).
CONCLUSION
There are no advantages in repairing a type II SLAP lesion when associated with impingement syndrome. However, type II SLAP lesions should be repaired in patients involved with competitive sports activity but the competitive sports activity should be limited for a better result.

Keyword

SLAP lesion; arthroscopic SLAP repair; impingement syndrome; acromioplasty

MeSH Terms

Elbow
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Surveys and Questionnaires
Range of Motion, Articular
Shoulder
Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
Sports

Figure

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  Figure 1 Mean ASES before and after surgery of acromioplasty with or without SLAP repair. After surgery, ASES increased, but there was no significant difference between SLAP repair group and no SLAP repair group postoperatively.

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  Figure 2 There was significant difference between SLAP repair group and no SLAP repair group in competitive sports group. However, the other groups showed no significant difference.

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