Current Research Regarding the Latarjet Procedure Is Focused on Technical Refinements, Fixation Alternatives, and Individualized Surgical Planning

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the literature regarding the Latarjet procedure to identify clinical practices and current areas of research focus.

Methods

Publications related to the Latarjet procedure in English, published between 1985 and 2024, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Document types, including corrections, meeting abstracts, early access articles, and biographical items, were excluded from the analysis. The study employed CiteSpace, VOSviewer, R-Bibliometrix, and GraphPad Prism for data analysis. Evaluated metrics encompassed publication/citation trends, country/institution contributions, author impact, keyword co-occurrence patterns, thematic evolution across the study period.

Results

Among 1,133 publications, annual output surged post-2010, peaking in 2021. The United States and France dominated contributions, while Arthroscopy and Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery were the leading journals. Provencher and Hurley were prolific authors, while Burkhart had the most cited papers. Keyword analysis revealed shifting priorities; “sport,” “return,” “fixation,” “epidemiology,” “remplissage,” and “glenoid bone loss” were the new keyword bursts in recent years and are still popular today. “Adolescent” and “congruent arc Latarjet technique” were new terms that had only emerged in the past 2 years.

Conclusions

The Latarjet procedure remains the standard treatment for anterior instability, with research increasingly focused on technical refinements, fixation alternatives, and individualized surgical planning.

Clinical Relevance

By identifying areas of research focus, this study may guide future advancements in the Latarjet procedure, ultimately improving the surgical management of shoulder dislocation.