Editorial Commentary: The Wake of the Dragon: Will the Orthopaedic Community Adopt the Shoulder Arthroscopic Latarjet Procedure as We Adopted the Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair?

The Latarjet procedure is a complex and difficult operation when performed both with an open approach and arthroscopically. The difficulties come from the fact that it is a combined intra- and extra-articular procedure, and that working close to the brachial plexus may be frightening for surgeons. Because of the high complication and reoperation rates reported in the literature, this procedure is, at the moment, rejected by a large part of the orthopaedic community, specifically in North America. The Chinese experience shows, after the European one, that arthroscopic Latarjet is an efficient and irreplaceable option for the treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder instability in the context of capsular and/or glenoid deficiency. A recent study shows that the arthroscopic procedure provides accurate bone block positioning and high rates of healing, excellent clinical results (no recurrence of instability at 2-year follow-up), and low rates of complications (no neurovascular injury). Although the arthroscopic Latarjet should be approached with caution, the learning curve should not be thought of as prohibitive. To learn how to perform an arthroscopic Latarjet, surgeons should visit an experienced surgeon and take a course to practice on cadavers first. Although it will take time and effort to learn and perform this operation correctly, we should command our Chinese colleagues to encourage us to follow their path. There is no reason that in the near future the orthopaedic community does not adopt the arthroscopic Latarjet procedure, as we adopted the arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and other complex surgical procedures. Among the strongest reasons to perform the Latarjet procedure arthroscopically are the accuracy of graft placement, the safety for neurovascular structures provided by direct visualization and magnification, and the excellent clinical results allowing young people to go back to sport, including high-risk (contact, overhead) sports.