Arthroscopic Versus Open Stabilization for Traumatic Shoulder Instability

Sponsor
University of Calgary (Other)
Overall Status
Completed
CT.gov ID
NCT00251264
Collaborator
Calgary Regional Health Authority (CRHA) (Other), Calgary Orthopaedic Research and Education Fund (Other), Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation (Other)
194
1
2
145
1.3

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare arthroscopic and open shoulder stabilization procedures by measuring the disease-specific quality of life outcome in patients with traumatic unidirectional anterior instability of the shoulder at 2 and 5 years.

Hypothesis: There is no difference in disease-specific quality of life outcomes in patients with traumatic unidirectional anterior shoulder instability, undergoing an arthroscopic versus an open stabilization procedure.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Procedure: Open stabilization
  • Procedure: Arthroscopic stabilization
N/A

Detailed Description

Shoulder instability most commonly affects people in the late teens to mid thirties, which are the most active years, recreational and vocational. The resulting disability, time lost from work, as well as the effect on an individual's quality of life represent a significant clinical problem for the population and for the healthcare system.

The normal anatomy in the unstable shoulder can be restored using arthroscopic or open surgical stabilization techniques. There is considerable controversy surrounding the issue of arthroscopic versus open shoulder stabilization. Advocates of arthroscopic procedures cite the following as advantages: faster recovery, less post operative pain, decreased operative time, improved cosmetics, greater return of shoulder motion and the more accurate identification of intraarticular pathology. Those in favor of an open procedure cite superior long term results showing fewer recurrences with an open stabilization.

There are few published reports directly comparing arthroscopic versus open shoulder stabilization repairs. It is also difficult to compare the results of existing studies as they report on heterogeneous patient populations, using a variety of techniques on mixed pathologies, using different outcome scales and variable definitions of success and failure. This study will address this controversial issue by comparing the disease-specific quality of life outcomes in patients with traumatic unidirectional anterior shoulder instability undergoing an arthroscopic versus an open stabilization procedure.

This study is designed as a prospective randomized clinical trial with a second prospective analytical cohort study arm. In the randomized arm, patients are assigned to arthroscopic or open surgery based on varied block, computer-generated randomization. The expertise-based randomization method is used in this study, whereby the surgeons perform either arthroscopic or open surgery, but not both. Therefore, a patient is not only randomized to a treatment group, but is also assigned to the expert surgeon for that treatment.

Patients in the prospective analytical cohort study arm of the trial undergo shoulder stabilization (open or arthroscopic) with any surgeon and complete the same follow-up visits, however they have not been randomized. The outcomes of the prospective cohort will be compared to those of the randomized arm to determine if the expertise-based randomization method has an effect on patient outcome.

Disease-specific quality of life is assessed using the validated Western Ontario Shoulder Instability (WOSI) Index. The index has 21 questions divided into 4 categories: physical symptoms, sport/recreation/work, lifestyle and emotions. This self-administered questionnaire utilizes a 100mm visual analog scale format to provide an overall score out of 100. A lower score reflects a better quality of life.

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Actual Enrollment :
194 participants
Allocation:
Randomized
Intervention Model:
Parallel Assignment
Masking:
Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose:
Treatment
Official Title:
Arthroscopic Versus Open Stabilization of Traumatic Unidirectional Anterior Shoulder Instability: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Study Start Date :
Nov 1, 2001
Actual Primary Completion Date :
Dec 1, 2010
Actual Study Completion Date :
Dec 1, 2013

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Active Comparator: Open

Procedure: Open stabilization
Following examination under anesthesia, a 5cm standard deltopectoral incision is made. Dissection is continued exploiting the deltopectoral internervous plane. The conjoined tendon is retracted medially. The underlying subscapularis tendon is identified and incised horizontally or split vertically in its midsubstance. If required for adequate exposure, the subscapularis split may be extended by incising the inferior component of the subscapularis tendon near its insertion on the lesser tuberosity. The shoulder is entered by performing a "T" shaped arthrotomy with retractors for full exposure of the glenoid. Shoulder pathology is addressed with suture anchor repair of any capsulolabral detachment (ie.Bankart lesion) and/ or a capsular plication for repair of capsular redundancy.
Other Names:
  • open shoulder stabilization
  • open Bankart reconstruction
  • Active Comparator: Arthroscopic

    Procedure: Arthroscopic stabilization
    With the examination under anesthesia completed, the arthroscope is introduced through a standard posterior arthroscopy portal. A diagnostic arthroscopy is performed and the intraarticular pathology identified and documented. Any labral detachment (i.e. Bankart lesion) is repaired using suture anchor fixation and arthroscopic tying techniques. Capsular redundancy is addressed with the use of thermal electrocapsulorrhaphy or arthroscopic suture repair of the redundant capsule. With the repair complete, 40 cc of 0.5% Bupivicaine is introduced into the joint. A sterile dressing is applied over the wounds and the operated shoulder placed in a shoulder immobilizer.
    Other Names:
  • Scope stabilization
  • Arthroscopic reconstruction
  • Outcome Measures

    Primary Outcome Measures

    1. Western Ontario Shoulder Instability (WOSI) Index [Baseline, 3, 6, 12, 24 months post-operatively]

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    1. American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES) score [Baseline, 3, 6, 12, 24 months post-operatively]

    2. Physical examination: range of motion, strength, stability [Baseline, 3, 6, 12, 24 months post-operatively]

    3. Return to sport or activity, return to work [Baseline, 3, 6, 12, 24 months post-operatively]

    4. Complications [Intra-operatively and up to 2 weeks post-operatively]

    5. Time to perform each procedure [Day of surgery]

    6. Economic cost of each procedure [Day of surgery]

    Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria

    Ages Eligible for Study:
    14 Years and Older
    Sexes Eligible for Study:
    All
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
    No
    Inclusion Criteria:
    • Clinical:

    • Age 14 years or greater

    • Diagnosis of traumatic anterior shoulder instability, made by meeting all of the following:

    1. Radiographic evidence or documented physician assisted reduction of anterior shoulder dislocation following a traumatic injury.

    2. Ability to elicit unwanted glenohumeral translation which reproduce symptoms with one of the following tests: anterior apprehension, relocation test, or anterior load and shift test

    • Radiological:

    • Closed growth plate on a standardized series of x-rays consisting of a minimum of an anteroposterior view, lateral in the scapular plane and an axillary view.

    Exclusion Criteria:
    • Clinical:

    • Diagnosis of multidirectional instability (MDI) or multidirectional laxity with anteroinferior instability (MDL-AII), made by two or more of:

    1. Symptomatic (pain or discomfort) in inferior or posterior direction

    2. Ability to elicit unwanted posterior glenohumeral translation that reproduces symptoms with posterior apprehension tests, or posterior load and shift test

    3. Positive sulcus sign of 1cm or greater that reproduces patient's clinical symptoms

    • Previous surgery on the affected shoulder other than diagnostic arthroscopy

    • Cases involving litigation

    • Significant tenderness of acromioclavicular/sternoclavicular joints on affected side

    • Confirmed connective tissue disorder (ie: Ehlers-Danlos, Marfan)

    Contacts and Locations

    Locations

    Site City State Country Postal Code
    1 University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre Calgary Alberta Canada T2N 1N4

    Sponsors and Collaborators

    • University of Calgary
    • Calgary Regional Health Authority (CRHA)
    • Calgary Orthopaedic Research and Education Fund
    • Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation

    Investigators

    • Principal Investigator: Nicholas Mohtadi, MD, FRCSC, University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre
    • Principal Investigator: Robert Hollinshead, MD, FRCSC, University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre

    Study Documents (Full-Text)

    None provided.

    More Information

    Publications

    Responsible Party:
    Dr. Nicholas Mohtadi, Clinical Professor and Orthopaedic Surgeon, University of Calgary
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT00251264
    Other Study ID Numbers:
    • 15740
    First Posted:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Last Update Posted:
    Jul 13, 2015
    Last Verified:
    Jul 1, 2015
    Keywords provided by Dr. Nicholas Mohtadi, Clinical Professor and Orthopaedic Surgeon, University of Calgary
    Additional relevant MeSH terms:

    Study Results

    No Results Posted as of Jul 13, 2015