To investigate different suture anchor placement and insertion angle affect efficacy of patients with anterior shoulder instability after arthroscopic Bankart repair.

Retrospective analysis was performed on 85 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for Bankart lesions in General Hospital of Southern Theater Command of PLA from January to December 2018. Severe bone defects, revision and other injuries were excluded. Postoperative CT was used to measure suture anchors’ placement and angle. Visual analog scale(VAS) and Rowe scores were used to comprehensively evaluate joint pain, stability, range of motion(ROM) and function at the last follow-up(range, 12-24 months). Independent sample t test was used to analyze the relationship between different anchor positions and angles and VAS and Rowe scores.

The group with the anchor placed on the glenoid face contained 57 patients, and the group with anchor partially placed at the glenoid edge contained 28 patients. VAS calculated at follow-up showed no significantly difference between two groups (t=-0.829, P>0.05), but the group with the anchor placed on the glenoid face were better in Rowe scores (t=-4.072, P<0.05). In the reverse comparison of anchor insertion angle by postoperative Rowe scores, there was no statistically significant difference between the four corresponding anchor insertion angles at two-, three-, four- and five-o’clock positions respectively(t=0.312, 0.885, 0.775, 0.934 respectively, all P>0.05).

Suture anchor positioned on the glenoid face with reasonable insertion angle can achieve better short-term efficacy after arthroscopic Bankart repair, and the long-term efficacy needs to be further studied.