Glenoid Fracture Repair or Reconstruction (Developed by Dr. Chudik)

Traumatic dislocations of the shoulder can result in a bony Bankart lesion (tear). The head of the humerus (ball of upper arm bone) is stabilized against the glenoid (socket of the shoulder joint) by a combination of muscles, labrum, and ligaments. When the humeral head is forced out of place in a dislocation, the soft tissues stretch or tear, and in some cases, bone is fractured off the glenoid rim, resulting in a bony Bankart lesion.

Typically, dislocations that result in bony Bankart lesions leave the shoulder joint unstable and prone to repeat dislocations. Patients with pain and instability following a dislocation and bony Bankart injury are candidates for bony Bankart repair. If dislocations continue to occur without treatment, the glenoid can erode and become deficient, decreasing the size of the surface on which the humerus sits, making a repair of only the supportive soft tissues surrounding the glenohumeral joint inadequate. Reconstructive surgery of the glenoid using a bone graft can address the deficient bone, repair torn soft tissues, and restore the shoulder’s function and stability

Dr. Steven Chudik, orthopaedic shoulder surgeon performs arthroscopic surgery using a camera that allows him to view the shoulder through small incisions and reconstruct the glenoid as well as repair any torn soft tissue. Dr. Chudik deveoped a special procedure and instruments to arthroscopically replace the missing glenoid bone and fix it into place.