Bankart

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Bankart

The most common type of shoulder dislocation is anterior. This most commonly occurs when the arm is abducted away from the body, and forced forward or downward in an injury. When the humeral head dislocates anteriorly, the ball forcefully pushes against the anterior glenoid labrum at the front of the socket. A glenoid labrum tear in the anterior joint is called a Bankart lesion. When the labrum is torn, the shoulder joint is less stable and allows the humeral head to move around more than normal.

Posterior dislocation (when the arm is forced backward) can also lead to a tear in the labrum, though less commonly. If your tear is accompanied by a fracture in the bone of the shoulder socket (glenoid), this is called a bony, or osseous, Bankart lesion. An untreated Bankart lesion can lead to chronic shoulder instability — meaning your shoulder may dislocate again in the future, probably in situations involving less force than the original injury.

CAUSES OF BANKART LESIONS

Possible causes of shoulder dislocations and lesions:

• Car accidents. A sudden blow to the shoulder can knock the ball from its socket, tearing the labrum.
• Sports collisions.
• Falls from sports. 
• Falls not from sports. Falling off a ladder or tripping on a crack in the sidewalk can deliver enough force to dislocate the shoulder. 
• Overuse injuries.

Symptoms of a Bankart lesion can include:

• Pain. When reaching overhead, at night, or with daily activities. Pain that does not improve with rest, change in activity, OTC medications, or ice, warrants consultation with your healthcare provider.
• Instability and weakness. 
• Limited range of motion.

BANKART LESION REPAIR (SURGERY)

TREATMENT

Shoulder arthroscopy. Most often, minimally invasive procedures can be used to repair the labrum. Your doctor can use a scope and small surgical tools to locate and examine the tear, remove damaged fragments, and repair them. Your doctor will place anchors in the bone near your tear. Sutures attached to these anchors are pulled tight, reattaching the torn piece of the labrum to the bone.

Open surgery. In some cases, orthopedists may prefer to use open surgery for this procedure. Which method your doctor chooses depends on variables like the type and location of your injury, the condition of your tissue, and how much additional damage you may have sustained.