"Bankart Repair and Beyond. Anticipating difficulties and managing complications. Current concepts"

Anterior shoulder instability is a frequent complaint among young athletes. The Arthroscopic Bankart Repair (ABR) is a highly successful technique for restoring the native anatomy after a capsular and labrum avulsion lesion from the glenoid. The procedure has a low complication rate, and a large proportion of patients return to sports at the same pre-injury level. As a reliable surgical technique, ABR is rarely associated with intraoperative complications, but surgical details are critical to avoid struggling during the procedure. Postoperative complications, such as neurovascular injuries, infections, and stiffness, are significant concerns. In the long term, ABR's most common complications are the recurrence of instability and shoulder arthritis after the procedure. This article focuses on 1) the complications of ABR and the critical measures to prevent them, 2) additional techniques that can enhance primary ABR outcomes or address recurrences and failures, and 3) best practices to prevent shoulder arthritis after ABR.