The Double Bankart Bridge: A Technique for Restoration of the Labral Footprint in Arthroscopic Shoulder Instability Repair

Abstract

It has been proved by many researchers in the last few years that arthroscopic capsulolabral repair is an efficient method for surgical management of anteroinferior shoulder instability. Different arthroscopic techniques using different fixation devices and constructs have been described in the literature, but the suture anchors were the most used implants to shift the inferiorly displaced capsulolabral complex and fix it to the glenoid. In the majority of these techniques, the anchors concentrate the load at specific points (e.g., at 3 or 4 interrupted points over the glenoid directly opposite the anchors) without putting direct pressure on the area of the labral footprint that is between the anchors.We describe here a technique using 2 standard suture anchors inferiorly in conjunction with a knotless suture anchor (e.g., 3.5 mm PushLock, Arthrex, Naples, FL) superiorly. No additional separate sutures or suture tapes are required other than those already loaded in the inferior 2 anchors, which are used to compress the capsulolabral complex to the glenoid in the areas between the suture anchors, producing a uniform pressure that may contribute to better healing.