Cinearthrography of the Bankart lesion and anterior capsule elongation

Diagnostic cinearthrography was performed on 3368 patients with shoulder pain during the period of 1982 through 1992. Cinearthrography identified a Bankart lesion in 128 shoulders on which surgical stabilization was performed for recurrent anterior dislocation. The operative pathologic condition for each of these patients was correlated and analyzed with the measurements of the Bankart lesion identified on the cinearthrogram. A small Bankart lesion was seen in patients with anterior capsular elongation. A larger Bankart lesion was observed in patients who did not have anterior capsular elongation. Preoperative measurement of anterior capsular elongation has been difficult. An 80% probability existed that the presence and extent of a Bankart lesion identified on a cinearthrogram could be an indicator for the presence of anterior capsular elongation. Preoperative determination of anterior capsular elongation could be useful in selection of the optimum surgical procedure to correct recurrent anterior shoulder dislocations.