Immobilization in external rotation vs internal rotation after shoulder dislocation: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

BACKGROUND: Dislocation of shoulder joint is the most prone to occurrence in all joints of human body, which is common in young people and has a high recurrence rate. It is mainly treated by conservative treatment. External rotation and internal rotation fixation are 2 common conservative therapies in clinical practice. Therefore, we conduct this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the 2 treatments. METHODS: Nine electronic databases, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov, CNKI, Wanfang Database and VIP Database, will be searched to find and include randomized controlled trials that meet inclusion criteria. RevMan5.3 will be used for data analysis and synthesis in this study. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis will also be performed if necessary. In addition, GRADE will be used in the evaluation of evidence hierarchy. RESULTS: This study will analyze and integrate the original evidence so far for clinical efficacy and safety of immobilization in external rotation and internal rotation on shoulder dislocation. CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this study will conclude higher evidence and suggestions for the treatment of shoulder dislocation, so as to further guide clinical decision making. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018106030.