Introduction The glenohumeral joint is the most mobile joint in the body with large arcs of motion in multiple distinct planes. Owing to limited osseous contribution to stability, the shoulder relies on the precise balance of a number of different…
Introduction Superior labral tears are a significant cause of pain and disability for the active individual. First described by Andrews in his series of 73 overhead-throwing athletes, knowledge and understanding of this pathology has improved substantially with the advent of…
Introduction Both the glenoid labrum and the long head of the biceps play a significant role in normal shoulder function. Lesions of either structure can cause significant shoulder pathology, pain, and dysfunction. Problems with the biceps and labrum are commonly…
Introduction Since the introduction of reverse shoulder arthroplasty in the 1980s, the treatment of rotator cuff dysfunction has been completely revolutionized. It has allowed improved functional results, as well as an improved quality of life for patients with rotator cuff…
Introduction Rotator cuff arthropathy is a cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction consisting of rotator cuff deficiency, superior humeral head migration, and glenohumeral arthritis. History and physical examination with radiographs are the cornerstone of diagnosis, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)…
Introduction Since being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2003, reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has become the standard of treatment for elderly patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears and arthritis. By 2020, it is projected that over…
Introduction The management of arthritis in the presence of a significantly deficient rotator cuff has remained a challenge. Although satisfactory outcomes using hemiarthroplasty (HA) have been reported in the past by many authors (Zuckerman et al, 2000; Arntz et al,…
Introduction Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears are a difficult problem to treat. Previously described treatments such as debridement alone or in conjunction with partial repair with the goal of pain relief have been inconsistent at best and often do not…
Definition and Historical Review The term rotator cuff arthropathy was coined by Neer et al to indicate a nosologic condition characterized by arthritic degeneration of the glenohumeral joint consequent to the massive posterosuperior rotator cuff tear. About one century earlier, Adams,…
Introduction Recurrent anterior shoulder instability in patients over 40 years old presents a difficult therapeutic problem when it is associated with an irreparable rotator cuff tear. This type of anterior instability, which is mainly secondary to the loss of the…