Anchor arthropathy - an avoidable cause of arthritis in young folks.

The first shoulder article I ever published was with my friend and former resident, Joe Zuckerman.

Complications about the glenohumeral joint related to the use of screws and staples. We reported "Twenty-one patients had problems related to the use of screws for affixing a transferred coracoid process to the glenoid. Sixteen patients had problems related to the use of staples: ten had undergone capsulorrhaphy, four had had advancement of the subscapularis, and two had had repair of a rotator cuff tear. The complaints at examination were shoulder pain, decreased glenohumeral motion, crepitus with glenohumeral motion, and radiating paresthesias. The time between placement of the implant and the onset of symptoms ranged from four weeks to ten years. The screws or staples had been incorrectly placed in ten patients, had migrated or loosened in twenty-four, and had fractured in three."

While surgeons rarely use staples these days, issues related to suture anchors are not infrequent. Here are number of blog posts have pointed to the problem:

Ream and run: excellent outcome for a sports-active young man with severe anchor arthropathy

35 year old man with a painful, stiff shoulder after three prior arthroscopic labral surgeries -anchor arthropathy

Shoulder MRIs and anchor arthropathy

Ream and run for anchor arthropathy

The problem with suture anchors: anchor arthropathy

Arthritis from a prominent suture anchor - anchor arthropathy

Total shoulder for anchor arthropathy

A recent case shows the progression of anchor arthropathy in a young man with three prior arthroscopic "stabilization procedures".

In our practice of ream and run surgery, anchor arthropathy is a relatively common preoperative diagnosis. 

The bottom line is that anchors, even if initially placed below the joint surface, can become prominent over time with wear.  

Suture anchors - never out of the woods

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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).