A guided surgical approach and novel fixation method for arthroscopic Latarjet

BackgroundMost of the complications of the Latarjet procedure are related to the bone block positioning and use of screws. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if an arthroscopic Latarjet guiding system improves accuracy of bone block positioning and if suture button fixation could be an alternative to screw fixation in allowing bone block healing and avoiding complications.Materials and methodsSeventy-six patients (mean age, 27 years) underwent an arthroscopic Latarjet procedure with a guided surgical approach and suture button fixation. Bone graft union and positioning accuracy were assessed by postoperative computed tomography imaging. Clinical examinations were performed at each visit.ResultsAt a mean of 14 months (range, 6-24 months) postoperatively, 75 of 76 patients had a stable shoulder. No neurologic complications were observed; no patients have required further surgery. The coracoid graft was positioned strictly tangential to the glenoid surface in 96% of the cases and below the equator in 93%. The coracoid graft healed in 69 patients (91%).ConclusionsA guided surgical approach optimizes graft positioning accuracy. Suture button fixation can be an alternative to screw fixation, obtaining an excellent rate of bone union. Neurologic and hardware complications, classically reported with screw fixation, have not been observed with this guided technique and novel fixation method.