Factors Affecting the Outcomes of Arthroscopic Capsular Release for Idiopathic Adhesive Capsulitis.
Background
Arthroscopic capsular release has been shown to provide excellent short- and long-term outcomes in patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder. Some surgeons delay surgery in the belief that operating in the early stages of adhesive capsulitis results in a poorer prognosis. However, it is unclear which factors, particularly the stage of the disorder, affect the surgical outcome of this procedure.


Hypothesis
Patients who undergo capsular release during the early symptomatic stage of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis would have less improvement in range of motion compared with those who undergo surgery at a later stage.


Study Design
Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.


Methods
A total of 189 shoulders with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis that underwent arthroscopic capsular release were evaluated. All patients completed a L'Insalata questionnaire and had their range of motion and strength tested prior to surgery and at 1, 6, and 12 weeks and 6 months post-capsular release. Post hoc, patients were grouped by whether they had symptoms lasting <10 months (shorter symptoms group; n = 131) or ≥10 months (longer symptoms group; n = 38). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine which preoperative factors were independently associated with a favorable outcome.


Results
Patients in the shorter symptoms group were more restricted prior to surgery than were those in the longer symptoms group (mean ± SEM: external rotation, 17° ± 2° vs 27° ± 4° [P = .04]; abduction, 78° ± 3° vs 92° ± 6° [P = .04]; internal rotation, S3 ± 1 vs S1 ± 1 [P = .03]). The shorter symptoms group had greater postoperative improvement in internal rotation (from S3 ± 1 preoperatively to T12 ± 1 vertebral levels) compared with the longer symptoms cohort (from S1 ± 1 to L2 ± 1) (P = .02).


Conclusion
Patients with a frozen shoulder and a duration of symptoms <10 months made greater improvements in internal rotation and had similar final results for flexion, abduction, and external rotation following arthroscopic capsular release when compared with patients who had a longer duration of symptoms, so there is no reason to delay surgery.
['Rizvi|Syed M|SM|', 'Harisha|Ahmed J|AJ|', 'Lam|Patrick H|PH|', 'Murrell|George A C|GAC|']
arthroscopic capsular release idiopathic adhesive capsulitis frozen shoulder freezing phase frozen phase stiffness