Humeral Head Replacement: When Half a Loaf Will Do

Abstract

Humeral head replacement has been the mainstay of treatment for severely displaced three- and four-part proximal humeral fractures since the advent of shoulder arthroplasty. Other indications for humeral head replacement include the physiologically young patient with glenohumeral degenerative joint disease in which the surgeon wishes to preserve glenoid bone stock for future total shoulder arthroplasty and avascular necrosis with collapse of the humeral head and relative sparing of the glenoid. Additionally, humeral head replacement is an option in patients with glenohumeral arthrosis without sufficient glenoid bone stock for placement of a glenoid component.