Outcomes at Long-term Follow-up After Open Latarjet Versus Open Bankart Repair in Rugby Players

BACKGROUND: Because rugby is a collision sport, it exposes players to a high risk of recurrence after anterior shoulder stabilization. Therefore, the choice of surgical procedure warrants close attention in order to optimize the time to return to sport and the stability of the shoulder throughout the player’s career. HYPOTHESIS: The open Latarjet procedure would allow for a faster return to play and provide a lower rate of recurrence than the open Bankart repair at long-term follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The study retrospectively enrolled 62 competitive rugby players who had undergone an anterior shoulder instability procedure and had at least 5 years of follow-up data. A total of 32 players treated with an open Bankart repair (BK group) were compared with 30 players (31 shoulders) treated with an open Latarjet procedure (LT group). Outcomes between groups were compared with the Rowe score, Walch-Duplay score, recurrence rate, and osteoarthritis evaluation on plain radiograph (Samilson classification). RESULTS: The recurrence rate was significantly higher at 18.8% for the BK group (mean follow-up, 6.9 ± 1.7 years) compared with 3.3% for the LT group (mean follow-up, 6.2 ± 1.4 years) (P = .04). No postoperative complications occurred in the BK group, whereas 1 infection and 1 hematoma required a second surgery in the LT group (P = .14). In the BK and LT groups, 97% and 90% of players, respectively, were able to return to rugby at the same level or higher (P = .27), at a mean time of 8 and 6.3 months, respectively (P = .03). The mean Rowe and Walch-Duplay scores were not significantly different between the groups; however, the osteoarthritis rate was significantly higher in the BK versus the LT group (68% vs 38%, respectively; P = .03); 23% of patients, all in the BK group, had Samilson grade 2 osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: The open Latarjet procedure outperformed the open Bankart procedure in terms of stability, time to return to play, and radiological outcomes at long-term follow-up in competitive rugby players.