Editorial Commentary: Retaining Its Clinical Importance: Open Bankart Repair With Inferior Capsular Shift in...

Recurrent anterior shoulder instability (RASI) is frequently seen especially in young collision and contact athletes. The glenohumeral joint stability is often compromised by associated Hill-Sachs and Bankart lesions. In young and active patients with high risk of recurrence or failed nonoperative therapy a surgical treatment is indicated to stabilize the shoulder joint and to restore a painless shoulder function. Different open surgical and arthroscopic procedures have been described to achieve these aims in consideration of present soft-tissue lesions and potential glenohumeral bony defects employing the concept of glenoid track. While arthroscopic Bankart repair is a common and widely used surgical treatment option for recurrent anterior shoulder instability, currently additional procedures including remplissage, subscapularis augmentation, and rotator interval closure have been proposed to improve the clinical outcomes. However, recent literature shows that also open Bankart repair with inferior capsular shift retains its clinical importance with excellent and comparable outcomes-regarding postoperative subscapularis integrity and function-to arthroscopic Bankart repair combined with remplissage in collision and contact athletes with recurrent anterior shoulder instability, subcritical glenoid bone loss ≤13%, and on-track Hill-Sachs lesions.