Arthroscopic osseous Bankart repair for chronic recurrent traumatic anterior glenohumeral instability. Surgical technique.

BACKGROUND: A chronic osseous Bankart lesion has traditionally been treated with soft-tissue repair and/or open bone-grafting for a large glenoid defect. We developed an arthroscopic method of osseous reconstruction of the glenoid without bone-grafting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postoperative outcomes of our technique for chronic recurrent traumatic anterior glenohumeral instability.

METHODS: A consecutive series of forty-two shoulders in forty-one patients with chronic recurrent traumatic glenohumeral instability underwent an arthroscopic osseous Bankart repair. All shoulders were evaluated preoperatively with three-dimensionally reconstructed computed tomography, which confirmed an osseous fragment at the anteroinferior portion of the glenoid. The average bone loss in the glenoid was 24.8% (range, 11.4% to 38.6%), and the average fragment size was 9.2% (range, 2.1% to 20.9%) of the glenoid fossa. In all shoulders, a displaced osseous fragment, firmly attached to the labroligamentous complex, was separated from the glenoid neck before reduction and fixation in the optimal position with use of suture anchors. All patients were assessed with use of the scoring systems of Rowe et al. and the University of California at Los Angeles preoperatively and at the final evaluation.

RESULTS: The mean duration of follow-up was thirty-four months. At that time, thirty-nine of the forty-two shoulders were rated as having a good or excellent result. The mean Rowe score improved from 33.6 points preoperatively to 94.3 points postoperatively (p < 0.01). The mean score on the University of California at Los Angeles system improved from 20.5 points preoperatively to 33.6 points at the final evaluation (p < 0.01). The average passive external rotation was 75 degrees with the arm at the side and 93 degrees with the arm at 90 degrees of abduction. Two patients had a reinjury. Eventually, thirty-five of thirty-seven patients who were active participants in sports returned to the sport they had played before the injury.

CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic osseous Bankart repair with use of suture anchors yields a successful outcome even in shoulders with a chronic large glenoid defect.