Glenoid Labral Injuries Are More Common Posteriorly Than Superiorly and Are Combined Across Multiple Areas of the Glenoid.

PURPOSE

To categorize arthroscopically observed labral injuries to include location on the glenoid and frequency of the injuries in each location.

METHODS

Patients undergoing arthroscopic labral surgery between January 2018 and June 2020 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria for labral injury were consistently applied and included history, clinical examination and imaging findings, and failure of rehabilitation. Exclusion criteria included arthritis, adhesive capsulitis, and previous surgery. Injury locations were categorized into superior, anterior, and/or posterior areas on the glenoid and as isolated in one area or combined in more than one area. Injury patterns also were evaluated. Interrater and intrarater agreement was assessed between 2 raters for injury location and tear pattern for 22 randomly assigned cases.

RESULTS

In total, 167 cases met the inclusion criteria. Injuries were found in all areas. Combined injuries were found almost twice as often as isolated injuries (63.5% vs 37.5%). Isolated posterior injuries had the greatest frequency of all specific injury types (26.3%). Isolated superior injuries (SLAP 2-4) had a frequency of 7.2%. Tear patterns included peel back, separation/split, insubstance injury, peripheral rim flattening, and extension into the posterior inferior glenohumeral ligament. Interrater was excellent for all tear locations (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.85) whereas intrarater agreement was good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.63).

CONCLUSIONS

Labral injuries that are associated with clinical symptoms can occur as isolated or combined types in the superior, anterior, and posterior glenoid areas and can display multiple injury patterns. Combined types of injuries are almost twice as common as those that are isolated in one area. Posterior injuries, isolated or combined, are frequent but superior injuries are less common.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, therapeutic case series.