The shoulder usually dislocates to the front, or anteriorly. The rim of the socket, called the labrum, tears off the glenoid bone. This torn labrum and the attached ligament is called a Bankart lesion. It often will not heal, leading to further instability or dislocations of the shoulder.
When we repair this type of lesion, we use an arthroscope to visualize the damage. We then use suture anchors to repair the damaged ligaments and labrum. This can lead to very satisfying results. The chance of future dislocations is greatly reduced after a surgery like this.
