Surgical Therapy of the Contractured Shoulder

We have operated on 52 shoulders with the impingement syndrome for these two and a half years, and eight of them could be considerd as so called freezing or frozen shoulder because of the severe contracture. A retrospective study was carried out on the analysis of the preoperative R. O. M. and arthrographs, and their operative findings. The results are as follows.1. The condition named Frozen Shoulder may be another goal of the subacromial impingement than the rotator cuff tear described by Neer.2. It seems that an important factor developing the Frozen Shoulder is the social or familial background encouraging the patient in their impatience of pain and unwillingness to move the joint.3. The main purpose of the surgery of the Frozen Shoulder should be the dissolution impingement. Neer's anterior acromioplasty is an essential procedure.4. It was demonstrated that the cases with cuff tear had better R. O. M. than those without tear. Cuff tear should be considered as a possible event, when the R. O. M. is improved by a conservative or manipulative therapy in the case of the Frozen Shoulder.