Subacromial decompression for shoulder impingement syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the results in a consecutive series of patients who underwent subacromial decompression for shoulder impingement syndrome.


METHODS
Interventional quasi experimental study.


METHODS
Orthopaedic Department at St Mary s Hospital, Isle of Wight Healthcare England from May 1999 to August 2001.


METHODS
Twenty-five consecutive shoulders from 22 patients who underwent subacromial decompression for shoulder impingement syndrome were studied. Nineteen out of 25 shoulders were in stage I or II and 6 had stage III disease, having rotator cuff tear. All patients had a median 10 months course of conservative treatment before surgery. Patients were followed-up for 6 to 24 months postoperatively and assessed by clinical examination and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale. Results were analysed by Wilcoxon s non-parametric test for internal comparison.


RESULTS
The differences in pre- and postoperative scores for pain, function, active forward flexion, strength of forward flexion and overall patient satisfaction were improved with p-values < 0.01 in for each. This was an overall improvement in 88% cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Subacromial decompression is an effective treatment for shoulder impingement syndrome. Accurate diagnosis, careful patient selection and appropriate surgical intervention results in a successful outcome and return to normal activities in majority of patients.
Department of Orthopaedics, St Mary's Hospital, Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust, Newport, IOW, PO30 5TG, England. sajidrao@yahoo.com
Sajid Ejaz
SE
Rao
Sohail
S
Muzammil
Nigel John
NJ
Hobbs
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018579:Patient Selection; D020127:Recovery of Function; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome