Shoulder Arthroscopy- Dislocation Bankarts Repair Surgery To better understand what shoulder dislocation is, an overview of the shoulder is needed. The humeral head (ball of the shoulder joint) is centered in the glenoid (the socket of the joint), which stabilizes the shoulder. If the shoulder becomes dislocated, it can tear the glenoid labrum and ligaments that help reinforce its structure. Bankarts repair surgery is a minimally invasive surgery to repair instability and restore function of dislocated shoulders. The goal of Bankart repair surgery is to re-attach the torn labrum and ligaments to the tip of glenoid from which they were detached. Symptoms of Bankart tear or lesions are: • Severe shoulder pain • Shoulder dislocation, single or multiple episode. • Repeated instances where the shoulders give out during activity • Sensation of the shoulder feeling loose, slipping out of the joint or “hanging there” PRE-OPERATIVE STEPS Every effort is made to assess the patient prior to surgery in order to ensure safety of the patient for the elective procedure. 1. After admission, routine blood work-up will be done prior to surgery. Depending on the age of the patient and other premorbid conditions, other investigations such as Echocardiography may be performed in elderly patients. 2. All the investigations prior to surgery are performed in order to ensure that the surgical procedure can be safely tolerated by the patient, since shoulder arthroscopy is an elective procedure. If any risk is involved, the patient/ attendants will be informed so. 3. Blood transfusion though rarely required, may be done depending on the reports. 4. X-rays and/or MRI may be done depending on the surgeon’s choice and the surgical indication. 5. Surgical consent will be explained to the patient detailing the procedure as well as the risks involved, if any. INTRA OPERATIVE STEPS 1. After anesthesia induction and patient positioning your surgeon will make two small incisions in the front and one small incision in the back of the shoulder. 2. The surgery is considered minimally invasive thanks to the small incisions resulting in less discomfort and shorter recovery time. 3. The surgery is performed using a small fiberoptic camera (an arthroscope) and other small instruments. 4. The labrum tissue which is attached due to fibrosis at abnormal position (after shoulder dislocation) is released from the underlying glenoid. 5. Small holes are drilled near the detached labrum, once it has been cleared of loose particles. 6. The surgeon will then attach sutures to the released labrum and pull them tightly across the anchors so the labrum can be reattached to the glenoid. 7. Once the ligaments are firmly in place, the incisions are then closed with small bandages and the surgery is complete. POST OPERATIVE STEPS The first few days following surgery may be painful, but is typically managed by minimal amounts of pain medication. Seven to 10 days after the surgery, patients should have a follow-up with their surgeon.. Physical therapy helps to improve physical strength, range of motion, and assists with normal activities of daily living. 1. After surgery the arm is placed in a sling immobilizer. The sling is worn for at least the first two weeks after the operation. It should be removed when bathing/showering, or to do exercises. The sling is worn to sleep, and when in big crowds for at least four weeks after surgery. 2. Physical therapy should begin 7 to 10 days after surgery. Your surgeon will guide you through the exercises required after the surgery. The exercises are necessary to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder joint. 3. 1-2 week: passive shoulder motion and passive/active elbow motion 4. 2-8 weeks: active-assisted range of motion 5. 8-12 weeks: isometric rotator cuff strengthening 6. 3-6 months: sports- and work-related exercises 7. Return to sport: conditioning at 12 weeks but full return to contact sports at 6 months For the first four to six weeks following surgery, the focus should be on rehabilitation and regaining as much range of motion as possible (keeping surgical repair in mind). Depending on the progress of the patient, the next four to six weeks the focus will be on increasing the strength of the shoulder. As the strength of the shoulder improves any pain should decrease. Patients should visit their physical therapist six-eight times over a period of 12 weeks. Depending on the recovery, a patient can return to normal activity within a short period.