Arthroscopic Removal of the Glenoid Component for Failed Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

While total shoulder arthroplasty has a successful clinical track record for pain relief and improvement of function, there are substantial concerns regarding the prevalence of glenoid lucent lines and therefore the possibility of loosening of the glenoid component over the long term1,2. Options for treatment of symptomatic glenoid loosening include revision of the component or conversion to a hemiarthroplasty by removal of the loose glenoid component with or without bone-grafting of the glenoid3. The philosophy behind glenoid component removal is based on reports of humeral hemiarthroplasty that have shown that it is indeed possible to have satisfactory pain relief without a glenoid component4-12. The purpose of this report is to present an arthroscopic method for removing a symptomatic loose glenoid component and the underlying cement mantle.