Simple versus horizontal suture anchor repair of Bankart lesions: which better restores labral anatomy?

PURPOSE

The goal of this study was to determine which suture repair technique better restores glenoid labrum height: horizontal sutures or simple sutures.

METHODS

Sixteen cadaveric glenoids, 8 per repair technique, were used to measure native labral height at the 3:00 to 6:00 positions in half-hour increments. A Bankart lesion was then created from 3:00 to 6:30. Height measurements at each time point were again taken after creation of the Bankart lesion. Repair with a 3-mm knotted suture anchor was then performed at 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30 with either a simple or horizontal suture technique, and postrepair heights were measured across all time points.

RESULTS

Significant decreases in height, as compared with native height, were observed at 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30 in the simple repair group. Decreases in height of 1.4 mm (P = .044), 2.1 mm (P = .030), and 1.1 (P = .034) were observed at 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30. There was no significant decrease in height at these respective time points in the horizontal repair group.

CONCLUSIONS

The in vitro horizontal mattress suture technique better restores labral height and anatomy when compared with a simple suture technique in the repair of acute Bankart lesions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Compared with the simple suture technique, horizontal suture repair may provide increased stability to the glenohumeral construct.