Humeral Head Articular Cartilage Damage by a Retained Arthroscopic Suture Anchor Inserter in a College Athlete.

Arthroscopic repair of the glenoid labrum has been shown to be a safe and effective method to address recurrent shoulder instability. However, suture anchor devices must be used appropriately and with caution to avoid postoperative complications such as prominence, migration, and loosening, which can result in intraarticular pathology postoperatively. We report a case of significant glenohumeral articular cartilage damage that occurred as a result of a retained broken suture anchor inserter after arthroscopic Bankart repair. This case demonstrates an uncommon but serious complication that can occur during the surgical insertion of suture anchors when performing arthroscopic labral repairs. Although rare, retained foreign bodies must also be considered in the differential of a symptomatic postoperative patient. Thus, postoperative radiographs are also of extreme importance in evaluating a patient with persistent pain and crepitus after surgical glenoid labral repair.