A retrospective review of sixteen patients with glenoid hypoplasia, a rare developmental deficiency of the glenoid and scapular neck. The study describes their clinical presentation, proposes a three-group classification, and reports outcomes after non-operative rehabilitation.
When you see a young adult (second or third decade) with atraumatic activity-related shoulder pain and a shallow, irregular glenoid on radiographs, think glenoid hypoplasia. Look for the associated signs: prominent coracoid, elongated hooked acromion, distal clavicle hooking, and humeral head flattening.
The key teaching point is that this is a rehabilitation-first diagnosis. Even patients with multidirectional instability and ligamentous laxity did well with strengthening of the rotator cuff, deltoid, and scapular stabilizers, so bony reconstruction is rarely needed.
Over more than 600 reconstructive shoulder procedures at the authors' institution during the study period, none was performed for glenoid hypoplasia. Reserve surgical consideration (hemiarthroplasty) for the rare patient with unremitting pain and established degenerative change, which was the one factor predicting poorer outcomes here.
A retrospective review of sixteen patients with glenoid hypoplasia, a rare developmental deficiency of the glenoid and scapular neck. The study describes their clinical presentation, proposes a three-group classification, and reports outcomes after non-operative rehabilitation.
When you see a young adult (second or third decade) with atraumatic activity-related shoulder pain and a shallow, irregular glenoid on radiographs, think glenoid hypoplasia. Look for the associated signs: prominent coracoid, elongated hooked acromion, distal clavicle hooking, and humeral head flattening.
The key teaching point is that this is a rehabilitation-first diagnosis. Even patients with multidirectional instability and ligamentous laxity did well with strengthening of the rotator cuff, deltoid, and scapular stabilizers, so bony reconstruction is rarely needed.
Over more than 600 reconstructive shoulder procedures at the authors' institution during the study period, none was performed for glenoid hypoplasia. Reserve surgical consideration (hemiarthroplasty) for the rare patient with unremitting pain and established degenerative change, which was the one factor predicting poorer outcomes here.