Prospective cohort study of 36 shoulders in 34 patients (mean age 51) treated with humeral hemiarthroplasty plus biologic glenoid resurfacing between 1988–2003. Asks whether this technique can deliver pain relief comparable to total shoulder arthroplasty in younger, high-demand patients while avoiding polyethylene wear complications, and which of three resurfacing materials — anterior capsule, fascia lata, or Achilles tendon allograft — performs best at 2–15 years.
When you have an active patient under 60 with end-stage glenohumeral arthritis who performs heavy labor or high-demand sport — and you're worried about polyethylene glenoid loosening — biologic resurfacing with Achilles tendon allograft is a durable option: this series shows zero failures in the allograft group out to 15 years, with preserved bone stock that doesn't foreclose future conversion to TSA. Avoid anterior capsule as the resurfacing material; it carries a 57% unsatisfactory rate driven by persistent pain from retained capsular nerve fibers and postoperative instability.
Prospective cohort study of 36 shoulders in 34 patients (mean age 51) treated with humeral hemiarthroplasty plus biologic glenoid resurfacing between 1988–2003. Asks whether this technique can deliver pain relief comparable to total shoulder arthroplasty in younger, high-demand patients while avoiding polyethylene wear complications, and which of three resurfacing materials — anterior capsule, fascia lata, or Achilles tendon allograft — performs best at 2–15 years.
When you have an active patient under 60 with end-stage glenohumeral arthritis who performs heavy labor or high-demand sport — and you're worried about polyethylene glenoid loosening — biologic resurfacing with Achilles tendon allograft is a durable option: this series shows zero failures in the allograft group out to 15 years, with preserved bone stock that doesn't foreclose future conversion to TSA. Avoid anterior capsule as the resurfacing material; it carries a 57% unsatisfactory rate driven by persistent pain from retained capsular nerve fibers and postoperative instability.