The History and Evolution of the Open Labral Repair with Capsular Shift for Shoulder Instability

The purpose of this review is to describe the evolution of the open labral repair with capsular shift, including the current role of this procedure in the treatment of shoulder instability.

Currently, a subset of patients – high-level collision/contact sport athletes, patients with significant inferior or multi-directional instability, and individuals with failed arthroscopic Bankart repair without bone loss – may experience benefit from undergoing open Bankart repair with capsular shift. Surgeons performing open stabilization can benefit from instrumentation and anchors developed to assist with arthroscopic techniques.

Understanding the history and evolution behind the procedure not only allows the surgeon to appreciate principles behind an arthroscopic approach, but also permits the utilization of an open approach when required by patient pathology and risk factors.