Surgery [Bankart Lesion]

[Nook]

So basically, I got a Bankart Lesion tear about half a year ago and I finally got the MRI results yesterday after repeating having my shoulder pull out of the socket while playing sports. The injury was to the Labrum.

I'm only 17 so this is a big decision for me. The hospital doctor said that there's a really good chance of recurrence at my age and that he said surgery was the only way to have it healed. I asked him the success rate of the surgery, he said it was about 80%. And stuff like infections and bleeding can also occur.

My question is should I go with the surgery at this age?
And how often do these type of surgeries go bad?
Lastly, will I be COMPLETELY healed?

I would have asked the doctor there but he seemed quite busy so I didn't want to piss off the rest of the people there waiting. :( Thank you. In case anyone didn't know what that is: http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&q=bankart&meta=&fp=1&cad=b The first few links are useful.

[warlandsboy]

Speak to your family doctor, if you have one. If not, get the opinion of another doctor you trust.

[Euphoriiick]

The sad reality is that once a shoulder injury occurs it will result in some degree of permanent instability and therefore repeated risk of dislocation. The shoulder joint is a poorly designed structure that actually is only attached to the body through the clavical at the sternoclavicular joint. It basically floats in free space and connects to the body primarily through muscle insertions and attachments. Therefore it is unstable to begin with so that the arm can have a large range of motion. In essence we are given a large functional ability at the expense of stability.

The shoulder joint itself is ball & socket type and held in place by a joint capsule and stabilized by rotator cuff muscles. Once this is stretched and torn in an injury it will never be the same. Surgery will usually work to retain a degree of the original stability of the joint capsule and rotator cuff muscles, but active physical therapy will be need to strengthen the surrounding muscles to prevent the shoulder from dislocating again.

Therefore, the surgery is recommended and I would seriously consider it. However, even with surgery you will likely have an increased risk of shoulder dislocations. Otherwise you will continue to experience ongoing shoulder dislocations more frequently without surgery.

Read up and make an informed decision:

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=e88&ei=U4bYSsiMKpKa8Aa7lOm2BQ&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CCoQBSgA&q=bankart+lesion&spell=1

[SENSEI]

So basically, I got a Bankart Lesion tear about half a year ago and I finally got the MRI results yesterday after repeating having my shoulder pull out of the socket while playing sports. The injury was to the Labrum.

I'm only 17 so this is a big decision for me. The hospital doctor said that there's a really good chance of recurrence at my age and that he said surgery was the only way to have it healed. I asked him the success rate of the surgery, he said it was about 80%. And stuff like infections and bleeding can also occur.

My question is should I go with the surgery at this age?
And how often do these type of surgeries go bad?
Lastly, will I be COMPLETELY healed?

I would have asked the doctor there but he seemed quite busy so I didn't want to piss off the rest of the people there waiting. :( Thank you. In case anyone didn't know what that is: http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&q=bankart&meta=&fp=1&cad=b The first few links are useful.

A Bankart Lesion is rare BUT NOT to be taken lightly (as is a SLAP lesion).

Both are tears of the labrum, and unfortunately, these RARELY heal 100% without surgical intervention.

Having said that, it is possible to live a BANKART lesion, however, you will have serious issues with prolonged throwing, overhead racquet sports, possible feelings of instability in the shoulder.

The surgical repair is invasive, but rarely goes bad. Depending on the surgeon, rehab protocols vary between 12-16 weeks.

You'll be required to attend physio for the first 6-8 weeks. Too aggressive and IT WILL tear again. Not aggressive enough, and you may develop adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder). So professional advice during rehab is essential to full recovery.

Let me know if you have more questions about the rehab side of the process, the surgical side really varies with surgeons and their surgical technique/protocol...