Arthroscopic Treatments

There is a concern for performing shoulder arthroplasty in patients under the age of 50 because of potential risk of increased prosthetic loosening and decreased survivorship of the prosthesis in this patient population. Patients with early stages of osteoarthritis may not have symptoms severe enough to warrant or be willing to undergo shoulder arthroplasty procedure. For this reason, arthroscopic options in the treatment of glenohumeral osteoarthritis are of interest. The role for arthroscopic surgical intervention in the treatment algorithm for osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint is inconclusive. Despite an exhaustive review of literature, there was insufficient evidence to make conclusions either in favor or against the efficacy of arthroscopic treatment, including glenohumeral debridement, capsular release, chondroplasty, microfracture, removal of loose bodies, biologic and interposition grafts, subacromial decompression, distal clavicle resection, biceps tenotomy or tenodesis, and labral repair or advancement in the treatment of the glenohumeral arthritis of the shoulder.  This review was limited to the treatment of glenohumeral arthrosis and does not pertain to subacromial bursitis, acromio-clavicular arthrosis or impingment nor rotator cuff tendonopathy.