Rotator Interval Plication: The “Seamster” Technique

The indications and best technique for plication of the rotator interval capsule, performed as a supplemental procedure at the time of arthroscopic shoulder stabilization, remain a controversial topic. There are currently no well-accepted surgical indication guidelines that have been established. Several biomechanical studies, however, have demonstrated the important contribution of the rotator interval capsule to stability of the glenohumeral joint, and the utilization of rotator interval plication in patients with glenohumeral instability has been supported in several publications. The indications for and surgical steps to accomplish the arthroscopic “seamster” technique for rotator interval plication, used by the authors for >20 years, is described.