Abstract
The incidence of early osteoarthritis after the modified Bristow procedure has been the subject of several articles during the last decade. Recurrent dislocation, recurrent subluxation after surgery or the procedure itself have been suggested as the main causes of degenerative changes. We assessed 19 patients who underwent the Bristow procedure for recurrent anterior dislocations of the shoulder retrospectively. Only one redislocation occurred in 20 shoulders (six women and 13 men) with an average follow-up of 7.7 years. All patients were satisfied and experienced improved stability. Three patients showed arthritic changes (two mild and one moderate), which, surprisingly, were also seen in the opposite shoulder. We therefore conclude that the occurrence of arthropathic changes after surgical stabilisation is based on multiple factors, with the initial dislocation playing a major role.