Arthroscopic bankart repair: experience with an absorbable, transfixing implant

The use of arthroscopic means to address shoulder instability has provided a technically advantageous way to approach Bankart lesions while posing complex questions regarding the specific indications for such an intervention. A successful outcome with arthroscopic Bankart repair is a function of proper surgical indication and patient selection. Several authors have evaluated the causes of failure and reasons for success with the Suretac device. The development of a bioabsorbable repair device at the authors' institution was precipitated by a desire to address and repair Bankart lesions arthroscopically while avoiding the frequent complications associated with the metal staple and the transglenoid suture technique. The Suretac represents the first generation of bioabsorbable transfixing devices. The initial objectives of the Suretac device were to adequately and dynamically tension soft tissue to bone, while providing a bioabsorption profile that mirrored the native healing response. The Suretac device is an appropriate surgical tool for arthroscopically repairing Bankart lesions in a carefully selected patient population.