Arthroscopic Bankart repair augmented with glenoid bone dry allograft

The recurrence rate of shoulder instability after arthroscopic isolated Bankart repair is up to 25% at long term, especially in case of bipolar bone loss. Bony augmentation with free bone dry allograft would be an option to reconstruct a glenoid subcritical bone defect and to minimize the failure rate.

This case series included patients with anterior shoulder instability treated by arthroscopic free bone dry allograft (Supercrit, BIOBank, Lieusaint, Ile-de-France, France), fixed with a cortical button as an augmentation of Bankart repair and reviewed with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Clinical assessment was based on active range of motion, shoulder apprehension test, as well as Walch-Duplay Score, Rowe Score, and Subjective Shoulder Value. Radiological evaluation was based on postoperative and last follow-up computed tomography scan to assess bone block positioning, glenoid enlargement, allograft healing, and/or resorption.

Five patients were included with a mean follow-up of 50 months (range 44-56). None of the patients reported a recurrence, but apprehension test was positive in one. Mean Walch-Duplay Score, Rowe Score, and Subjective Shoulder Value were 88 points (70-11), 93 points (75-100), and 89% (80-95), respectively. No surgical complications were recorded. The mean preoperative anterior glenoid bone loss was 13.8% (7-19). At last follow-up, graft resorption was observed in all patients, reaching 100% of the initial volume in 4 cases.

This study showed satisfactory clinical results of Bankart repair augmented with dry bone allograft in the treatment of anterior shoulder instability with glenoid subcritical bone loss. However, anatomical results were disappointing, with graft resorption that raises the question of going ahead with such a procedure.