Outcome after arthroscopic decompression of inferior labral cysts combined with labral repair

Purpose To analyze the clinical and radiologic outcomes of arthroscopic cyst decompression and labral repair in patients with inferior paralabral cysts with chronic shoulder pain. Methods Between March 2006 and September 2012, 16 patients who were identified as having inferior paralabral cysts presented with chronic shoulder pain. All patients underwent a thorough physical examination and preoperative magnetic resonance arthrographic evaluation. The mean age was 30 years (range, 17 to 50 years). The mean follow-up period was 38 months (range, 16 to 60 months). Clinical outcome scores (American Shoulder and Elbow Surg.; University of California, Los Angeles; and Simple Shoulder Test) and passive shoulder range of motion were evaluated at last follow-up. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging was performed at a mean of 8 months to determine the labral healing status and assess for cyst recurrence. Results The incidence of isolated inferior paralabral cysts was 0.6% (16 of 2,656 cases). Of the patients, 8 had multiple cysts and 8 had a single cyst. The mean length and width of the cysts were 1.0 cm and 0.4 cm, respectively. Eight cases had a history of trauma, and 13 patients were involved in sports activities. Seventy-five percent of cases showed a positive relocation test. The mean American Shoulder and Elbow Surg.; University of California, Los Angeles; and Simple Shoulder Test scores improved from 64, 22, and 8.7, respectively, preoperatively to 83, 31, and 10, respectively (P <.001), at final follow-up. Shoulder range of motion did not show any significant improvement. The location of the labral tear was as follows: anteroinferior tear in 5 cases, posteroinferior tear in 8 cases, and combined anteroinferior and posteroinferior tear in 3 cases. All cysts were found to be in association with a labral tear. A mean of 2.7 anchors were used for inferior labral repair. These cysts were found only in male patients. None of the patients showed any evidence of cyst recurrence on follow-up magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusions Inferior labral tears treated with cyst decompression and labral repair showed satisfactory clinical results without any recurrence. Inferior paralabral cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with chronic shoulder pain, particularly active male patients. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic case series.