Trends in the Management of Isolated SLAP Tears in the United States

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Abstract

Background:

The management of superior labrum anterior and posterior (SLAP) tears remains controversial, with surgical treatment options including SLAP repair, debridement, and open or arthroscopic biceps tenodesis (BT), based on patient factors and the type of tear.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesized that SLAP repair has become less frequently performed over time, while BT is more frequently performed, particularly in patients ≥ 40 years.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

A retrospective query was performed using the Humana insurance database from years 2007 to 2016. For the management of a SLAP tear diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases–Ninth Edition [ICD-9] code: 840.7), independent and exclusive cohorts were formed using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for debridement (29822, 29823), SLAP repair (29807), open or arthroscopic BT (29828, 23430), and SLAP repair combined with BT (29828 OR 23430 AND 29807).

Results:

Of 46,650 diagnoses of a SLAP tear, there were 3347 patients who underwent operative management for an isolated SLAP tear from 2007 to 2016. There was a linear increase of SLAP tear diagnoses per year ( r ² = 0.800, P < .001) during this period. Overall, SLAP repair was performed in 1629 patients (48.7%), debridement was performed in 1076 patients (32.1%), BT was performed in 552 patients (16.5%), and combined SLAP repair and BT was performed in 90 patients (2.7%). There was a 69.3% decrease in isolated SLAP repair from 2007 to 2016 ( r ² = 0.882, P < .001). BT for the diagnosis of an isolated SLAP tear increased by 370.0% over the same period ( r ² = 0.800, P < .001). SLAP repair had an equivalent percentage of being performed in patients both older and younger than 40 years ( P = .218). There was a 1500.0% increase in BT performed in patients older than 40 years during the study period. There were no statistical differences in the postoperative incidence of stiffness, surgical site infections, and reoperations between all surgical treatment groups ( P > .05).

Conclusion:

An analysis of a large private-payer database revealed that surgical treatment of isolated SLAP tears in the United States has shifted from 2007 to 2016, with an increase in the frequency of BT and a decline in the frequency of SLAP repair, particularly in patients older than 40 years.

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Most cited references 40

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The disabled throwing shoulder: spectrum of pathology Part I: pathoanatomy and biomechanics.

Christoph S Burkhart, W Kibler, D Morgan (2003)

PROLOGUE: Several years ago, when we began to question microinstability as the universal cause of the disabled throwing shoulder, we knew that we were questioning a sacrosanct tenet of American sports medicine. However, we were comfortable in our skepticism because we were relying on arthroscopic insights, clinical observations, and biomechanical data, thereby challenging unverified opinion with science. In so doing, we assembled a unified concept of the disabled throwing shoulder that encompassed biomechanics, pathoanatomy, kinetic chain considerations, surgical treatment, and rehabilitation. In developing this unified concept, we rejected much of the conventional wisdom of microinstability-based treatment in favor of more successful techniques (as judged by comparative outcomes) that were based on sound biomechanical concepts that had been scientifically verified. Although we have reported various components of this unified concept previously, we have been urged by many of our colleagues to publish this information together in a single reference for easy access by orthopaedic surgeons who treat overhead athletes. We are grateful to the editors of Arthroscopy for allowing us to present our view of the disabled throwing shoulder. Part I: Pathoanatomy and Biomechanics is presented in this issue. Part II: Evaluation and Treatment of SLAP Lesions in Throwers will be presented in the May-June issue. Part III: The "SICK" Scapula, Scapular Dyskinesis, the Kinetic Chain, and Rehabilitation will be presented in the July-August issue. We hope you find it thought-provoking and compelling.

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SLAP lesions of the shoulder.

S. Snyder, R P Karzel, R Ferkel … (1989)

A specific pattern of injury to the superior labrum of the shoulder was identified arthroscopically in twenty-seven patients included in a retrospective review of more than 700 shoulder arthroscopies performed at our institution. The injury of the superior labrum begins posteriorly and extends anteriorly, stopping before or at the mid-glenoid notch and including the "anchor" of the biceps tendon to the labrum. We have labeled this injury a "SLAP lesion" (Superior Labrum Anterior and Posterior). There were 23 males and four females with an average age of 37.5 years. Time from injury to surgery averaged 29.3 months. The most common mechanism of injury was a compression force to the shoulder, usually as the result of a fall onto an outstretched arm, with the shoulder positioned in abduction and slight forward flexion at the time of the impact. The most common clinical complaints were pain, greater with overhead activity, and a painful "catching" or "popping" in the shoulder. No imaging test accurately defined the superior labral pathology preoperatively. We divided the superior labrum pathology into four distinct types. Treatment was performed arthroscopically based on the type of SLAP lesion noted at the time of surgery. The SLAP lesion, which has not been previously described, can be diagnosed only arthroscopically and may be treated successfully by arthroscopic techniques alone in many patients.

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Arthroscopic treatment of isolated type II SLAP lesions: biceps tenodesis as an alternative to reinsertion.

Ryan T Bicknell, Pascal Boileau, Christopher Chuinard … (2009)

Overhead athletes report an inconsistent return to their previous level of sport and satisfaction after arthroscopic SLAP lesion repair. Arthroscopic biceps tenodesis offers a viable alternative to the repair of an isolated type II SLAP lesion. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Twenty-five consecutive patients operated for an isolated type II SLAP lesion between 2000 and 2004 were evaluated at a mean of 35 months postoperatively (range, 24-69). Patients with associated instability, rotator cuff rupture, posterosuperior impingement, or previous shoulder surgery were excluded. Ten patients (10 men) with an average age of 37 years (range, 19-57) had a SLAP repair performed with suture anchors. Fifteen patients (9 men and 6 women) with an average age of 52 years (range, 28-64) underwent arthroscopic biceps tenodesis performed with an absorbable interference screw. Arthroscopic diagnosis and treatment were performed by a single experienced shoulder surgeon, and all patients were reviewed by an independent examiner. In the repair group, the Constant score improved from 65 to 83 points; however, 60% (6 of 10) of the patients were disappointed because of persistent pain or inability to return to their previous level of sports participation. In the tenodesis group, the Constant score improved from 59 to 89 points, and 93% (14/15) were satisfied or very satisfied. Thirteen patients (87%) were able to return to their previous level of sports participation following biceps tenodesis, compared with only 20% (2 of 10) after SLAP repair (P = .01). Four patients with failed SLAP repairs underwent subsequent biceps tenodesis, resulting in a successful outcome and a full return to their previous level of sports activity. Arthroscopic biceps tenodesis can be considered an effective alternative to the repair of a type II SLAP lesion, allowing patients to return to a presurgical level of activity and sports participation. The results of biceps reinsertion are disappointing compared with biceps tenodesis. Furthermore, biceps tenodesis may provide a viable alternative for the salvage of a failed SLAP repair. As the age of the 2 treatment groups differed, these findings should be confirmed by future studies.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Orthop J Sports Med

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Orthop J Sports Med

Journal ID (publisher-id): OJS

Journal ID (hwp): spojs

Title: Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine

Publisher: SAGE Publications (Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA )

ISSN (Electronic): 2325-9671

Publication date (Electronic): 22 March 2019

Publication date Collection: March 2019

Volume: 7

Issue: 3

Electronic Location Identifier: 2325967119833997

Affiliations

[* ]The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

[† ]Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

[‡ ]Rothman Institute, New York, New York, USA.

[4-2325967119833997] Investigation performed at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Author notes

[*] [§ ]Nikhil N. Verma, MD, Rush University Medical Center, 1611 West Harrison Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60612, USA (email: Nikhil.Verma@ 123456rushortho.com ) (Twitter: @DrNikhilVerma).

Article

Publisher ID: 10.1177_2325967119833997

DOI: 10.1177/2325967119833997

PMC ID: 6431775

SO-VID: cfad634b-1585-43cf-9402-426ee1defc2e

License:

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License ( http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work as published without adaptation or alteration, without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages ( https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

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Keywords: superior labrum anterior and posterior,slap tears,bicipital-labral injury

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Keywords: superior labrum anterior and posterior, slap tears, bicipital-labral injury

Trends in the Management of Isolated SLAP Tears in the United States

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Results:

Conclusion:

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Most cited references 40

The disabled throwing shoulder: spectrum of pathology Part I: pathoanatomy and biomechanics.

SLAP lesions of the shoulder.

Arthroscopic treatment of isolated type II SLAP lesions: biceps tenodesis as an alternative to reinsertion.

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