Little attention has been focused on the most common risk factors for post-operative glenohumeral arthropathy in patients undergoing open and arthroscopic stabilization. We performed a literature search using Medline, Cochrane and Google Scholar using the keywords: 'Shoulder instability surgery' in combination with 'glenohumeral osteoarthrosis', 'recurrent shoulder dislocation' in combination with 'surgery' and 'complications'. We identified 33 published studies. There is evidence of long-term postoperative glenohumeral arthropathy in patients undergoing surgical management for shoulder instability. The Coleman methodology score showed great heterogeneity in terms of study design, patient characteristics, management methods and outcome assessment and generally low methodological quality. Follow-up length, age at first dislocation episode and limited external rotation have been shown to be strongly associated with shoulder arthropathy. There is no univocal outcome assessment available. To define the risk factors responsible for development of postoperative glenohumeral arthropathy, controversial findings have been detected. A common validated scale for clinical and imaging measurements for shoulder arthropathy is needed, so as to allow easier and more reliable comparison of outcomes in different studies. Patients should receive controlled imaging assessment (MR and radiographs) in addition to clinical examination. There is a need to perform appropriately powered randomized clinical trials comparing clinical and imaging related outcomes in patients undergoing open, arthroscopic and conservative management for shoulder instability. Standard diagnostic assessment, common and validated clinical and imaging scoring systems are needed.
