Midterm Outcomes After Arthroscopic Repair of Type VIII SLAP Lesions in Active Duty Military Patients Younger Than 35 Years.

Background: Superior labrum from anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions represent a significant cause of shoulder pain and disability among active duty members of the US military. However, few data exist regarding the surgical management of type VIII SLAP lesions. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that arthroscopic repair would decrease pain and increase function at the midterm follow-up and allow for a high rate of maintenance of active duty status. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Consecutive active duty military patients were identified from January 2011 through June 2015 who underwent arthroscopic repair of type VIII SLAP lesions performed by a single surgeon. Patients were excluded if they underwent glenoid microfracture, other capsulolabral repair, or rotator cuff repair. Outcome measures were completed by patients within 1 week before surgery and at latest follow-up: pain visual analog scale, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons shoulder score, and Rowe instability score. Results: A total of 30 patients met the inclusion criteria for the study. The mean ± SD follow-up was 96.60 ± 10.91 months. At final follow-up, the mean visual analog scale score improved from 8.17 ± 1.6 to 1.63 ± 1.90 ( Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated favorable outcomes for the majority of patients after arthroscopic repair of type VIII SLAP lesions at midterm follow-up, supporting repair as a viable treatment option for type VIII SLAP tears in this patient population.