Biomechanics of the Bankart repair: The relationship between glenohumeral translation and labral fixation site

The specific aim of this study was to quantify glenohumeral translations in cadaveric shoulders after repair of the superior and middle regions of a s urgically created Bankart lesion and after repair of the superior, middle, and inferior regions of the same lesion. Anterior-posterior, superior-infer ior, and medial-lateral translations in nine cadaveric specimens were teste d with shoulders in 0 degrees, 45 degrees, and 90 degrees of humeral abduct ion and varying degrees of humeral rotation. There was statistically signif icantly less anterior and inferior translation after three-site labral repa ir compared with after two-site labral repair, and this effect was greatest at 90 degrees of glenohumeral abduction. The decreased translations demons trated with three-site repair emphasized the importance of careful repair o f the labrum to the inferior glenoid rim during a Bankart reconstruction an d suggested that failure to do so may be a contributing factor to recurrent instability after anterior shoulder reconstruction.