explanation of shoulder injury/surgery (Bankart Repair and Capsulorraphy)

by jodie
(hagerstown, md)

my 16 year old son just underwent a capsulorraphy and bankart repair to his right shoulder with complete avulsion of his ligaments and stripping off of the anterior glenoid. They placed 4 anchors in his shoulder.


Can you please explain exactly what all was wrong with his shoulder, how bad it was in comparison to a typical injury as a result of dislocation, and what kind of recovery period we are looking at before he has full function and no limitations (even if he thinks he can before then).

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Sep 22, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		Shoulder surgery explanation...
by: Bart - SII

Great Question!

The injury that your son sustained is actually very common with shoulder dislocation. Basically, when the shoulder dislocates, it forces the humeral head out of the socket (the glenoid), and this causing stretching and tearing of the joint ligaments (the capsule) and often will tear the labrum away from the bone (an avulsion). So, your son suffered a bankart lesion, which is a tearing of the cartilage away from the bone located toward the front and bottom of the shoulder. Here are a few links for more information, just in case you didn't find it on the site already.

Shoulder Dislocation
What is a Bankart Lesion?
Shoulder Anatomy

The surgery involved re-attaching the labrum to the glenoid - using 4 anchors, as well as tightening the stretched out joint capsule - the capsulorraphy. This is a fairly good expalanation of the labral repair (bankart repair in your son's case).

Return to activities should be somewhere around 4-6 months given the combination of the capsulorraphy and the labral repair - I wouldn't let any of my patients return to football any earlier than 4 months, most likely 6, and it would be very dependent on their shoulder strength and control. Your doctor will no likely have their own timeline with regards to when he will allow return to sports.

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Bart
Jan 17, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		bankart lesion with no dislocation of shoulder
by: stressed sossage

i have had an ongoing problem with my left shoulder for over 18 months now and have been in nothing but great pain and discomfort since december 08, with all muscles in my left torso constantly tightening and spasming.

lots of trips to doctors, lots of physio and even payed for a specialist which was unsuccessfull.
i finally had an MRI scan in november 09 which revealed a bankart lesion.

ive looked at lots of sites like this to gather information on the subject, but for almost everyone who has had this injury it has been caused by dislocation. im pretty sure i have not dislocated mine

if anyone else knows of this problem please let me know as it is driving me mad

sossage
Jun 07, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Bankart lesion with no repeat dislocations
by: JA

Sossage-

I am in a similar situation. While I may have had a slight shoulder dislocation 5 years ago (and my shoulder returned to normal after about 9 months), I have been have pain in my right shoulder for over a year and a half. Lots of doctors later, a specialist said I may have a Bankart lesion. My husband had this and his symptom, as it seems everyone else's is repeated shoulder dislocations. My shoulder feels relatively strong and stable with no repeat dislocations. I'm scheduled for surgery in a few months to repair a Bankart lesion (if that's even what I have) and am worried that the surgery will be for nothing since I do not have shoulder dislocation problems.

Can anyone comment on whether it is possible to have a Bankart lesion with no dislocations?

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