A long-term clinical follow-up study after arthroscopic intra-articular Bankart repair using absorbable tacks

The aim of the study was to perform an independent long-term evaluation after arthroscopic Bankart repair using absorbable tacks. We hypothesise that arthroscopic Bankart repair using absorbable tacks will result in stable shoulders. Eighty-one consecutive patients (84 shoulders) with symptomatic, recurrent, anterior, post-traumatic shoulder instability were included in the study. All the patients had a Bankart lesion. The age of the patients was 28 (15-62) years. The number of dislocations prior to surgery was five (sublux-50). The operation was performed 28 (3-360) months after the index injury by one of three surgeons with a special interest in shoulder surgery using an intra-articular arthroscopic Bankart procedure involving absorbable Suretac(R) fixators. Seventy-six/84 (90%) of the shoulders (50 male, 23 female patients) were re-examined by two independent observers, after a follow-up period of 98 (46-129) months. In the long-term, the failure rate in terms of stability was 8/76 (11%) dislocations and a further 6/76 (8%) had experienced or had clinical signs of subluxation. The Rowe score was 91 (38-98) points at follow-up and the Constant score was 90 (56-100) points. The Constant score for the contralateral shoulder was 93 (69-100) points (P < 0.001). In the long-term, the arthroscopic Bankart procedure using Suretac(R) fixators resulted in stable, well-functioning shoulders in the majority of patients. Eighteen per cent of the patients had experienced signs of instability during the follow-up period in terms of dislocations or subluxations.