Outcomes After Arthroscopic Bankart Repair in Adolescent Athletes Participating in Collision and Contact Sports

Abstract

Background: Literature on arthroscopic stabilization in adolescent patients participating in collision and contact sports is limited, as most studies include adolescents within a larger sample group comprised primarily of adults.

Purpose: To review the outcomes of arthroscopic Bankart repair for anterior shoulder instability in an adolescent population participating in collision and contact sports.

Study design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: This retrospective review included 39 shoulders in 37 adolescent (≤19 years) athletes who underwent primary arthroscopic Bankart repair using suture anchors with at least 2-year follow-up. All patients had a history of trauma to their shoulder resulting in an anterior dislocation. Outcome measures included patient satisfaction, the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and Rowe score. Recurrence of dislocation and return to sporting activity were also assessed.

Results: The mean age at the time of surgery was 16.9 years (range, 15-19 years), and the mean follow-up was 6.3 years (range, 4.3-10.0 years); 58.6% of patients participated in collision sports. Time to surgery after the initial dislocation episode was 9.2 months (range, 0.5-36.2 months). Four shoulders (10.3%) had dislocation events postoperatively. The majority (78.1%) of patients returned to sports at the same level of competition. Mean VAS was 0.49 ± 1.0, and the mean ASES and Rowe scores were 92.8 ± 12.6 and 85.0 ± 24.2, respectively. Univariate analyses demonstrated that subjective functional outcomes were negatively correlated with recurrence (ASES, P = .005; Rowe, P = .001) and failure to return to sport (ASES, P = .016; Rowe, P = .004). Independent variables shown to have no significant relationship to functional outcomes included age, follow-up, number of preoperative dislocations, time to surgery, sport classification, competition level, tear extent, number of anchors, concurrent Hill-Sachs lesion, and repair of a superior labral anterior-posterior (SLAP) lesion.

Conclusion: Arthroscopic Bankart repair is an effective surgical option for traumatic shoulder instability in adolescents participating in collision and contact sports. At a minimum 4-year follow-up, arthroscopic Bankart repair effectively restored stability in 90% of cases; 80% returned to their preinjury level of sport.

Keywords: Bankart; adolescents; anterior shoulder instability; glenoid labrum; labral repair.

Figure 1.

Flow diagram outlining patient selection.