Original Research

Small-Diameter Percutaneous Decompression for Osteonecrosis of the Shoulder

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Core decompression of the humeral head has previously been used as a joint- preserving procedure for treatment of symptomatic osteonecrosis of the shoulder. In this article, we describe a new decompression technique, which involves multiple small-diameter (3-mm) percutaneous perforations.

In our study population (early-stage disease), shoulder arthroplasty was avoided in all 15 patients (26 shoulders) for a mean follow-up of 32 months (range, 24-41 months). Of the 26 shoulders, 25 had successful clinical and functional outcomes (University of California Los Angeles shoulder score, >24 points), and 1 showed radiographic progression of the disease but has not needed further operative treatment.

We compared our decompression results with those of a nonoperative historical control group, identified through a literature search. There was a 48% (143/299) rate of progression to arthroplasty in the control group at a follow-up ranging from 2 to 4.5 years.

This outpatient, percutaneous perforations technique appears to be a low-morbidity method for relieving symptoms and deferring shoulder arthroplasty in patients with symptomatic osteonecrosis of the humeral head.


 

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