Acute posterior dislocations of the shoulder are uncommon. Recommended
surgical treatments for recurrent posterior dislocation include soft-tissue
advancement, posterior glenoid osteotomy, rotational osteotomy of the
humerus, and posterior bone block. The posterior bone-block procedure
successfully prevented recurrent dislocation in our series of five
patients. The patients ranged in age from seventeen to forty-four years,
and have been followed for two and one-half to eight years. All returned to
unrestricted activity and recreational sports. The complications included a
later anterior dislocation of the shoulder in one patient and an unsightly
scar requiring revision in two patients. There were no complaints of pain.
Radiographs showed decreased density of the bone block in two patients, but
graft resorption did not occur.