Nonabsorbable versus absorbable suture anchors for open Bankart repair - Aprospective, randomized comparison

Suture anchors facilitate the surgical repair of capsuloligamentous structu res to bone. Bioabsorbable suture anchors, which obviate potential pitfalls in the periarticular use of permanent implants, have recently become avail able. We randomly assigned 40 patients to undergo modified Bankart shoulder repairs with either nonabsorbable or absorbable suture anchors. The patien ts had a history of recurrent traumatic anterior instability that had not i mproved with nonoperative management. The average patient age was 22 years (range, 17 to 46), and the average preoperative Rowe score was 47 points in the nonabsorbable anchor group and 47 points in the absorbable anchor grou p. Average postoperative Rowe scores were 96 and 93 points, respectively. T here was one failed result in the nonabsorbable anchor group and two in the absorbable anchor group. No statistically significant subjective or object ive differences were found at an average of 25 months postoperatively. Our results reveal that, in this application, bioabsorbable suture anchors are a viable option for the repair of soft tissue to bone.