Acute shoulder dislocations: factors influencing diagnosis and treatment

The Bankart lesion is the most important single causative factor in traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations (85%). Capsular rupture occurs in approximately 15% of traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations and may or may not heal with redundancy. If so, recurrent dislocation in possible. Surgical repair of traumatic anterior dislocations requires that the capsule be opened for correct identification of the lesion and correct repair. Limitation of external rotation is not necessary for repair of anterior shoulder dislocations and should be considered as an untoward complication. While multiple procedures are available, all of which may be satisfactory at one time or another, no one procedure repairs all traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations.