Functional evaluation of arthroscopic treatment of SLAP lesions through the O’Brien portal()

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional results from arthroscopic repair of SLAP lesions through the portal described by O’Brien. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation was conducted on 19 shoulders in 18 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of SLAP lesions through the O’Brien portal between November 2007 and January 2012. RESULTS: Nineteen shoulders in 18 patients were evaluated: 16 male patients (84.2%) and three female patients (15.7%). The patients’ ages ranged from 27 to 40 years (mean of 34.3 years). There were 12 patients (63.1%) with injuries on the right shoulder, six (31.5%) with injuries on the left shoulder and one (5.2%) with bilateral injury. In relation to dominance, 13 patients (68.4%) presented the injury on the dominant limb and five (26.3%) were affected on the non-dominant limb. We observed that nine cases (47.3%) had SLAP lesions alone and 10 cases (52.6%) were related to glenohumeral instability. There was one case (5.2%) of recurrence of glenohumeral dislocation, but this patient chose not to undergo a new surgical intervention. According to the UCLA and ASES scales translated and adapted to the Portuguese language, 96% of the results were good or excellent. CONCLUSION: The approach for treating SLAP lesions through the portal described by O’Brien et al. is easy to reproduce, with a high rate of good and excellent results and a low complication rate.