Efficacy of First Time Anterior Shoulder Decision Tool in a Randomized Control Trial

An anterior shoulder dislocation is a common problem for people between the ages of 15 to 35. Recurrent instability is common and dependent on age and gender. Treatment options include surgical intervention and repair or non-surgical options that include intensive rehabilitation. Level I evidence suggests early surgical repair can significantly reduce the risk of recurrent instability. The risk of arthritis is increased with multiple dislocation episodes.

Traditionally, the combination of 1) history and physical exam performed by the provider, 2) clinical and diagnostic tools to assess the extent of injury and impact on physical activity, and 3) patient-voiced preference has guided the selection of an optimal solution for an individual patient. When providing a recommendation to individual patients and their unique circumstances, the health care provider may gather patient preferences on factors such as desire to avoid pain, chance of recurrent shoulder dislocation, time needed for rehabilitation and physical therapy, and operative versus non-operative costs. Surgical and non-surgical options have distinct differences in these outcomes. When combined, the interaction between these variables creates important tradeoffs of risks and benefits for each option.

No studies have been conducted to determine the objective weight of these different dimensions of patient preferences and how they might guide the provider-patient conversation. Conjoint analysis is a statistical method that seeks to quantify the relative importance of various aspects of the decision-making process, such as cost or probability of repeat injury as described above. Combined with a validated survey tool, conjoint analysis of patient preferences in shoulder repair can assist the physician in recommending a patient-centered option.