70 year old active woman with irreparable rotator cuff tear and arthritis

A 70 year old woman presented with a failed rotator cuff repair and shoulder pain.

On physical examination, she had 140 degrees of active elevation, but it was painful.

Her plain radiograph showed superior translation of the humeral head on the glenoid with joint space narrowing and a retained suture anchor.

An outside MRI showed a retracted rotator cuff tear.

Because of her desire to be physically active, she elected a cuff tear arthropathy hemiarthroplasty (see this link) rather than a reverse total shoulder.

She was able to return to her activities with a comfortable and functional shoulder.

Six years after her surgery, her comfort and function remained. Her x-ray at that time is shown below.

Her range of motion is shown below.

The cuff tear arthropathy hemiarthroplasty can yield improved comfort and function without major complications. 

See Clinical effectiveness and safety of the extended humeral head arthroplasty for selected patients with rotator cuff tear arthropathy

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Here are some videos that are of shoulder interest

Shoulder arthritis - what you need to know (see this link).

How to x-ray the shoulder (see this link).

The ream and run procedure (see this link).

The total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).

The cuff tear arthropathy arthroplasty (see this link).

The reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).

The smooth and move procedure for irreparable rotator cuff tears (see this link).

Shoulder rehabilitation exercises (see this link).