The relationship between Hill-Sachs lesion and recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation

The relationship between the number of shoulder dislocations and the depth and percent of head involvement of the Hill-Sachs lesions was investigated in this study. Thirty patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder were divided into three groups according to the numbers of dislocations they had presented: Group 1: 1 to 5 dislocations ; Group 2: 6 to 20; Group 3: over 20. The mean percentage of head involvement was 11.9% in the first group, 25.4% in the second group and 26% in the third group of patients with Hill-Sachs lesions. The average depth of the Hill-Sachs lesions was 4.14 mm in the first group, 5.13 mm in the second group and 4.38 mm in the third group. Based on these findings, it appears that there is a correlation between the number of dislocations and the extent and depth of the Hill-Sachs lesions. Surgical treatment should therefore be performed as early as possible in patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder, in order to prevent progression of the Hill-Sachs lesion which can become by itself a cause of instability.