What is the Latarjet procedure?
The Latarjet procedure treats shoulder instability when there is significant bone loss from the front of the socket. A small piece of bone (the coracoid), with its attached tendon, is moved and fixed to the front edge of the socket — deepening it and adding a dynamic sling that holds the joint stable.
It is a powerful, durable stabilisation, particularly suited to collision-sport athletes and shoulders that have failed a previous soft-tissue repair.
Who is it for?
- Recurrent instability with significant socket bone loss.
- A failed previous Bankart (soft-tissue) repair.
- Collision and contact athletes at high risk of recurrence.
- Shoulders where a soft-tissue repair alone would be unreliable.
How the procedure works
The coracoid bone, with its tendon, is detached and transferred to the front of the socket, where it is fixed with screws. This achieves stability in two ways: the bone restores the socket’s width, and the attached tendon acts as a living sling across the front of the joint during movement.
The Latarjet stabilises through bone restoration, a dynamic tendon sling, and reinforcement of the joint capsule — which is why it is so effective for high-risk, bone-deficient shoulders.
Recovery timeline
Protect
A sling protects the transfer while the bone block begins to unite.
Motion & union
Progressive range of motion as the bone heals, confirmed on imaging.
Strength & return
Strengthening, then a graded return to sport — contact sport last.
Risks & outcomes
The Latarjet has very low recurrence rates, even in demanding athletes, making it the procedure of choice for bone-deficient instability. As a more involved operation it carries specific considerations — including hardware and bone-healing issues and, rarely, nerve irritation — which are minimised through careful technique. General risks such as infection and clots are uncommon and actively managed.