Arthroscopic versus open reconstruction of the shoulder in patients with isolated Bankart lesions

We compared open and arthroscopic stabilizations of true Bankart lesions in patients with traumatic, unidirectional anterior glenohumeral dislocations. The 27 patients were men (age range, 18 to 56 years) who were involved in recreational sports. One group (15 patients) had elected an arthroscopic Bankart repair; the other group (12 patients) had chosen open stabilization with a standard deltopectoral approach. Patients were followed up 17 to 42 months after surgery by examination, radiographs, and interviews. In the open repair group, 1 of the 12 patients experienced a subluxation in the follow-up period, but no patients had dislocations or reoperations. In the arthroscopic group, 5 of 15 patients had experienced subluxation or dislocation; of these 5 patients, 2 underwent reoperation. The arthroscopic group had significantly worse results in satisfaction, stability, apprehension, and loss of forward flexion in the operated limb. In summary, the arthroscopic procedure did not significantly improve function; instead, it produced an increased failure rate compared with the open procedure. Therefore, we believe that open stabilization remains the procedure of choice for patients with true Bankart lesions.