The Addition of Remplissage to Arthroscopic Bankart Repair and Effect on Recurrent Instability in Shoulders With Critical Humeral Bone Loss

Abstract

Background:

Recent literature has shown that inferior Hill-Sachs extension for on-track shoulders is predictive of recurrent instability after arthroscopic Bankart repair alone. Specifically, there is a high risk for recurrent instability when the lesion extends below the humeral equator on sagittal magnetic resonance imaging. This worrisome inferior extension has been termed “critical humeral bone loss (CHBL).” Remplissage has yet to be explored as a potential useful augmentation in patients with CHBL.

Hypothesis:

The addition of remplissage would decrease recurrence rates for Hill-Sachs lesions with inferior extension or CHBL compared with arthroscopic Bankart repair alone in patients with on-track Hill-Sachs lesions.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4

Methods:

Retrospective analysis was performed on the records of patients who underwent primary arthroscopic Bankart repair with or without the addition of remplissage from 2007 to 2021. Off-track shoulders, revision stabilization, glenoid bone loss (GBL) >20%, and those with follow-up <2 years or incomplete medical data were excluded. The primary outcome was recurrent instability, defined as either postoperative dislocation or subluxation. The Hill-Sachs position was measured relative to the humeral axis on sagittal magnetic resonance imaging as previously described. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were implemented to determine the protective effect of remplissage.

Results:

A total of 219 patients were included for analysis with a mean age of 21.1 years (range, 12.9-40.5 years) and mean follow-up of 7.0 years (range, 2-14.4 years); 44 patients (20%) underwent remplissage in addition to arthroscopic Bankart. In multivariate analysis, remplissage significantly reduced the risk of recurrent instability (OR, 0.06; P = .002) and CHBL was a significant predictor of recurrent instability (OR, 3.0; P = .029) while adjusting for age, multiple preoperative dislocations, contact athlete status, and percent GBL. When stratified by CHBL, remplissage remained protective (OR, 0.013; P = .007) against recurrent instability.

Conclusion:

The addition of a remplissage for CHBL in patients with subcritical GBL and on-track Hill-Sachs lesions reduces the risk of recurrent instability in patients undergoing arthroscopic Bankart repair.