Best implant choice for coracoid graft fixation during the Latarjet procedure depends on patients’ morphometric considerations

Purpose To assess the anthropometric dimensions of the coracoid process and the glenoid articular surface and to determine possible implications with the different commercially available Latarjet fixation techniques. Methods In a total of 101 skeletal scapulae the glenoid length (GL), the glenoid width (GW), the coracoid length (CL), the coracoid width (CW) and the coracoid thickness (CTh) were measured. In order to assess the ability of the transferred coracoid to restore the glenoid anatomy we created a hypothetical model of 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% glenoid bone loss. We analyzed four common surgical fixation techniques for the Latarjet procedure (4.5 mm screws, 3.75 mm screws, 3.5 mm screws, and 2.8 mm button). The distances from the superior-inferior and medio-lateral limits of the coracoid using the four different fixation methods were calculated. We hypothesized that the “safe distance” between the implant and the coracoid osteotomy should be at least equal to the diameter of the implant. Results The intra and inter-observer reliability tests were almost perfect for all measurements. The mean GH was 36.8 ± 2.5 mm, the GW 26.4 ± 2.2 mm, the CL 23.9 ± 3 mm, the CW 13.6 ± 2.mm, and the mean CTh was 8.7 ± 1.3 mm. The CL was