Long-Term Outcomes of Pyrocarbon Hemiarthroplasty in a Young Patient with Severe Chondrolysis

Pyrocarbon hemiarthroplasty is a novel procedure that has shown promise for the complex cases of young patients with severe shoulder arthritis. This prosthesis aims to overcome challenges faced by conventional hemiarthroplasty designs, particularly the issue of significant glenoid arthrosis over time. Results of the pyrocarbon hemiarthroplasty have generally shown good promise, but there has been a scarcity in studies and reports that explore the long-term outcomes of this procedure. In this report, we describe the case of a young male patient who underwent a pyrocarbon hemiarthroplasty for significant glenohumeral chondrolysis. The patient underwent the procedure and was able to demonstrate seven-year postoperative outcomes, reporting an American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon's score of 97, a single assessment numeric evaluation score of 95 and a visual analogue scale pain score of 0 at final follow-up. Radiological imaging revealed some progressive glenoid arthrosis and superior glenoid erosion over the course of seven years.