Abstract

The authors have analyzed the postoperative results in 50 patients of two surgical techniques used for the treatment of anterior recurrent dislocation of the shoulder. The study only concerns "virgin" shoulders having formally presented numerous anterior recurrent dislocations treated by the Bankart procedure or the Bristow-Latarjet operation. This work consists of a clinical evaluation with objective and subjective results on one hand, and a radiological evaluation on the other hand. The Latarjet operation gives 97% excellent and good results, as compared with 76% for the Bankart procedure. The radiological study confirms the "arthrogenetic" nature of the Latarjet operation and reveals a frequent lysis of the coracoid bone block. Nevertheless, these two factors do not affect in any way the objective and subjective results. The Latarjet operation, insofar as it is carefully executed, remains in our opinion, the prime operation, particularly with respect to the quality of the stability achieved.