Clinical Outcome after Surgical Treatment of Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation with Small Bony Bankart

Abstract

Background: The consensus is that a bony Bankart lesion shorter than 25% of the length of glenoid does not affect the clinical result; hence, such lesions were often neglected. However, small bony Bankart lesions are associated with various types of capsulolabral lesions. Methods: A total of 82 patients who had undergone arthroscopic capsulolabral lesion repair surgery for anterior shoulder dislocation were reviewed. The prevalence rates of early and late type of capsulolabral lesions were compared between a group of patients with and a group without small bony Bankart lesions. In addition, the types of accompanying capsulolabral lesion were analyzed according to the type of bony Bankart lesion. Finally, the clinical outcomes were evaluated (active range of motion, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score and Rowe’s score). Results: Among the 13 patients who had small bony Bankart lesions, the prevalence rate of early and late type of capsulolabral lesions was 38.5% and 61.5%, respectively. Among the 69 patients without bony Bankart lesion, the prevalence rates of early and late type of capsulolabral lesions were 74% and 26%, respectively. Significantly worse clinical outcome was observed for the group of patients with both small bony Bankart lesions and late type of capsulolabral lesion. Conclusions: More severe type of small bony Bankart lesion appears to be associated with late type of capsulolabral lesion. The significantly worse clinical outcome for patients with both small bony Bankart lesion and late type of capsulolabral lesion indicates that small bony Bankart lesions cannot always be neglected.