Analysis of the coracoid morphology with multiplanar 2D CT and its effects on the graft size in the Latarjet procedure

Abstract

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to reveal the individual differences regarding the size of the coracoid and their effects on the classical and modified Latarjet procedures. Methods: Computed tomography images of 120 patients (mean age: 41.18 +/- 12.01 years) without shoulder complaints or shoulder instability were evaluated retrospectively. The glenoid width, the surgical graft length, and the coracoid total length, width, and thickness were measured using the multiplanar reconstruction method on the Sectra Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) system. Age, gender, side, the dominant hand, and the height of the patients were recorded and the correlations between them were investigated. On the created hypothetical model, the current size of the coracoid was evaluated to determine what size of glenoid defects it could repair by employing the classical and the modified Latarjet techniques. Results: There was no significant difference between the right-hand-dominant group and the left-hand-dominant group in terms of coracoid measurement results (p > 0.05). Again, there was no statistically significant difference between the right and the left side regarding the coracoid size (p > 0.05). A positive correlation could be detected only between age and the coracoid width and thickness (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was also found between the glenoid width and the coracoid width and thickness in both shoulders (p < 0.001). Coracoid thickness could fill in the defects that amounted to 40% of the glenoid width, while the coracoid width could fill in for the defects that were 50% of the glenoid width in both genders. Conclusion: Our study showed that hand dominance and side were not effective on the coracoid dimensions. In addition, it has been shown that the coracoid dimensions did not have a significant effect in the choice of Latarjet technique in terms of defect repair and that repair rates of up to 40% could be achieved in glenoid defects with both techniques.