Surgery may be best treatment option for multidirectional shoulder dislocations

While multidirectional instability of the shoulder (MDI) has been traditionally treated without surgery, research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL, shows surgery is also effective for this type of dislocation.

"We examined 41 athletes who received arthroscopic surgery for MDI, and noted 73% returned to play at equal or only slightly lower level than before the injury," commented M. Brett Raynor, MD, lead author from Steadman Philippon Research Institute Program. "Our study group included patients at an average three years out from surgery."

Patients in the group underwent surgery between October 2006 and January 2013, and included 22 men and 19 women with a mean age of 23.7 years at the time of surgery. All included in the group had failed a conservative treatment approach of a supervised exercise program.

"A study like this is significant because prior research has shown that non-surgical approaches to this type of injury have less than optimal results," noted Peter J. Millett, MD, MSc, senior author and surgeon who treated the patients and performed the surgeries. "More research is needed, but the results of this study certainly support arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of MDI."