Arthroscopic partial shoulder resurfacing

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Shoulder Reconstruction

Background:

• Shoulder pain and dysfunction significantly impact quality of life.
• Partial humeral head resurfacing offers a bone-preserving alternative to total shoulder arthroplasty.
• Arthroscopic techniques aim to minimize invasiveness and preserve surrounding structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate clinical and subjective outcomes of arthroscopic-assisted partial humeral head resurfacing.
• To assess patient-reported outcomes at a 2-year follow-up.
• To analyze functional improvements and patient satisfaction after the procedure.

Main Methods:

• Prospective case series of 11 patients undergoing arthroscopic partial shoulder resurfacing.
• Preoperative and serial postoperative evaluations including Constant score (CS), range of motion (ROM), visual analogue scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scale, and subjective shoulder value (SSV).
• Radiological assessment and monitoring of complications over a 2-year period.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in Constant score (CS) from baseline to 6 weeks and sustained at 2 years (P < 0.001).
• Significant improvements in VAS, ASES, and SSV from baseline, maintained at 2-year follow-up.
• High patient satisfaction, with 91% willing to undergo the procedure again; however, 3 patients required revision surgery.

Conclusions:

• Arthroscopic-assisted partial humeral head resurfacing provides significant subjective outcome improvements, particularly pain relief.
• The procedure allows for early mobilization and preserves bone stock and the subscapularis tendon.
• It is a viable option for active patients with shoulder pain and without severe glenoid cartilage wear.