1.What is recurrent shoulder dislocation? The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the human body and has a large range of motion, so it is easy to be injured and cause dislocation, which is often called “dislocation” or “falling out of the ring”. The most common type of dislocation is acute anterior shoulder dislocation. If there are two or more dislocations, it is called recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation. In severe cases, dislocation occurs every time the shoulder joint moves to a position where it is easy to be dislocated, and due to the instability of the shoulder joint, the shoulder joint sometimes feels discomfort, pain and fear even if it is not dislocated, which brings great pain and inconvenience to life. 2. Why does recurrent dislocation of the shoulder joint occur? A: Acute dislocation of the shoulder joint usually occurs after trauma. If the shoulder joint is in the abduction and external rotation position, dislocation will occur when it is subjected to direct or indirect external force. The trauma of the first dislocation causes the anterior inferior glenoid labral ligament complex, which maintains the stability of the shoulder joint, to tear away from the glenoid. Pathologic changes such as tearing or avulsion of the joint capsule and damage to the cartilage glenoid labrum and glenoid rim that are not well repaired and fracture of the posterior lateral humeral head depression make the joint unstable. Subsequent dislocations can occur repeatedly under minor external forces or during certain movements, such as upper extremity abduction and external rotation and posterior extension movements. The younger the patient, the more likely it is that a dislocation will occur, especially in patients whose first dislocation occurred before the age of 20, and the proportion of dislocations is more than 80%. 3.How should I treat recurrent dislocation of the shoulder joint if it occurs? A: Many patients who suffer from dislocation do not receive effective treatment, and repeated dislocations, repeated resetting and fixation do not prevent recurrence of dislocation. The frequent dislocations also cause wear and tear on the bone structure, and the risk of dislocation is even higher. According to the results of recognized studies at home and abroad, only surgical treatment can completely eliminate the risk of future recurrence. Moreover, recurrent dislocations are often seen in young patients, who have a lot of activities that seriously affect their life and work, so early surgery is recommended. 4. When is the best time to operate after a recurrent dislocation of the shoulder joint? A: If the dislocation is already recurrent, the sooner the surgery is performed, the better the result will be in order to avoid another dislocation. Because each dislocation will aggravate the damage to the ligaments, joint capsule and bones around the shoulder joint, which will aggravate the condition and increase the difficulty of surgery, so surgery should be performed as early as possible. 5.What are the surgeries to treat recurrence? A: The surgical treatment of shoulder dislocation includes traditional open surgery and “arthroscopic surgery”. There are many methods of traditional open surgery, some of which are not effective, and some of which can prevent recurrence of dislocation, but are very traumatic and have a high incidence of postoperative shoulder stiffness. In the last decade or so, a new surgical method has emerged, namely arthroscopic surgery. This means that the repair and fixation of damaged tissues can be done under arthroscopic surveillance through several small incisions, which has significant advantages such as less trauma, faster recovery and better results. The choice of surgery depends largely on the severity of the injury and the results of the preoperative 3D CT examination. Because repeated dislocations can cause damage to the bones surrounding the joint, if this bony damage is too severe, arthroscopic surgery cannot be used and incisional surgery is required. It is recommended that once there is more than one dislocation of the shoulder joint, surgery should be performed as soon as possible so that the surgery will have better results. 6. What are the advantages of arthroscopic shoulder surgery for recurrent shoulder dislocation? A: Shoulder arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery, which only requires 3-4 small holes of about 25px around the shoulder joint to complete the surgery, so the surgery is less traumatic, quicker to recover, and less likely to stiffen the shoulder joint after surgery, which is easy for patients to accept. Of course, not all patients are suitable for arthroscopic shoulder surgery. A comprehensive analysis of the imaging data must be combined to select the appropriate surgical method. 7.How long does it take to recover after arthroscopic surgery for recurrent shoulder dislocation? A: The affected limb needs to be protected by a triangular scarf or forearm sling hung on the chest for 6 weeks after the arthroscopic shoulder repair so that the repaired tissue can heal on the bone. Generally after 6 weeks, functional rehabilitation of the affected limb is started. Gradually complete daily life and gradually transition to physical activity under the guidance of the physician.