Editorial Commentary: Better Stability Found With Primary Latarjet Compared With Those Performed After a Failed Arthroscopic Bankart Repair: Should We Be Doing More Primary Latarjet Procedures?

Abstract

Traditionally, most orthopaedic surgeons use glenoid bone loss of >15% to 20% glenoid width as the cut off for arthroscopic Bankart repairs. More than that amount of bone loss suggests the need to augment the glenoid with bone-most often performed with a Latarjet coracoid transfer. Primary Latarjet procedures are more widely used in Europe compared with the United States for the treatment of shoulder instability-even with less bone loss than 15%. Better results regarding stability are found using primary Latarjet compared with those in revision Latarjet procedures performed after an arthroscopic Bankart procedure has failed. Perhaps this should lead us to doing primary Latarjet procedures, with a lower threshold of bone loss.