Diminutive Incision Acromioplasty Assisted with Arthroscopy in the Treatment of Chinese Patients with Subacromial Impingement Syndrome.

Background: Many causes can lead to shoulder pain, and subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) is the most frequently recorded disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of diminutive incision acromioplasty assisted with arthroscopy for the treatment of Chinese patients with subacromial impingement syndrome.

Subjects and Methods: Twenty-four painful shoulders in 22 patients with subacromial impingement syndrome were included in the study. All painful shoulders belonged to grade II (n = 8) and III (n = 16) according to Neer's classification. Detailed physical examination was performed. Conventional radiography and subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder region of all patients were performed. The UCLA score system was applied to all patients to evaluate their satisfaction after surgery. The preoperative recordings of the UCLA scores were collected and all enrolled cases were available for follow-up at one, three, six and 12 months after surgery.

Results: According to the UCLA scoring system, the symptoms of all painful shoulders improved after one year postoperatively. The average score before surgery was 15.4 points, which increased to 31.2 points postoperatively, showing statistical difference ( p< 0.05).

Conclusions: A diminutive incision acromioplasty assisted with arthroscopy is a reliable approach to treat Chinese patients with subacromial impingement syndrome. All painful shoulders were improved in one year after surgery.