Arthroscopic Bankart Repair

About Arthroscopic Bankart Repair

Arthroscopic Bankart repair specifically addresses a Bankart lesion, a tear of the labrum, the ring of cartilage that deepens the shoulder socket, from the front-lower rim of the joint, an injury that commonly occurs during a traumatic shoulder dislocation and is a leading cause of recurrent instability. Left untreated, a Bankart lesion allows the shoulder to keep slipping or fully dislocating with relatively minor stress, particularly in younger and athletic patients. Through small portal incisions, the surgeon uses an arthroscope to visualize the detached labrum and reattaches it to the bony rim of the socket using suture anchors placed at intervals along the tear, restoring the labral bumper effect that helps keep the humeral head centered. In cases with associated bone loss on the socket, additional bone-grafting procedures may be combined with the repair. The surgery typically takes about an hour under regional anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia. Indian shoulder arthroscopy units perform Bankart repair routinely for patients with confirmed labral injury on MRI or CT arthrogram and a history of recurrent dislocation. Postoperative care involves several weeks of sling immobilization followed by a phased physiotherapy program to restore motion, stability, and strength.