Shoulder · Instability & dislocation
Latarjet
Shoulder Instability with Bone Loss — Coracoid Transfer
The condition
The shoulder socket (glenoid) is shallow. With repeated dislocations, bone can break or wear away from the front of the socket (glenoid bone loss). With part of the socket missing, or in generally high-risk patients, the shoulder slips out easily, and a soft-tissue repair alone is often not enough.
The surgery
The Latarjet is a typically outpatient surgery done through an incision at the front of the shoulder. A piece of bone from your shoulder blade (the coracoid), with its attached tendons, is moved to the front of the socket and fixed with screws. This rebuilds the socket, and the tendons act as a sling that helps hold the ball in place. The final plan is determined during surgery.
Recovery at a glance
- Sling
- Worn for 2 weeks, removed for hygiene and exercises. Gentle motion begins on day 1.
- Daily life
- Desk work often within 1–2 weeks. Light waist-level use once out of the sling; no lifting, pushing, or pulling with the surgical arm for 6 weeks. No driving while taking narcotic pain medication.
- Lifting & overhead
- Running ~8 weeks and light strengthening at 8–12 weeks, as the bone heals. Weight training then progresses, with bench press ~16 weeks.
- Sports
- Non-contact sports ~3 months. Contact and collision sports at 4–6 months, once a CT scan confirms the bone has healed and strength testing is passed.
A general guide. Your restrictions and timeline may change based on what is found and done at surgery.
Risks & benefits
Benefits: Most patients regain a stable shoulder and return to sports and activity. Risks are uncommon and include infection, blood clots, the bone block not healing or shrinking over time, screw problems, the shoulder becoming unstable again, temporary nerve irritation (numbness or weakness in the arm), injury to nearby structures (such as nerves, blood vessels, or cartilage), stiffness, persistent pain, and the need for further surgery. These will be reviewed with you in detail before surgery.
Patient Surgical Information
Open, save or print. Bring your questions to your pre-op visit.
Before & after every surgery