History of surgical intervention of anterior shoulder instability.

BACKGROUND: Anterior glenohumeral instability most commonly affects younger patients and has shown high recurrence rates with nonoperative management. The treatment of anterior glenohumeral instability has undergone significant evolution over the 20th and 21 centuries. METHODS: This article presents a retrospective comprehensive review of the history of different operative techniques for shoulder stabilization. RESULTS: Bankart first described an anatomic suture repair of the inferior glenohumeral ligament and anteroinferior labrum in 1923. Multiple surgeons have since described anatomic and nonanatomic repairs, and many of the early principles of shoulder stabilization have remained even as the techniques have changed. Some methods, such as the Magnusson-Stack procedure, Putti-Platt procedure, arthroscopic stapling, and transosseous suture fixation, have been almost completely abandoned. Other strategies, such as the Bankart repair, capsular shift, and remplissage, have persisted for decades and have been adapted for arthroscopic use. DISCUSSION: The future of anterior shoulder stabilization will continue to evolve with even newer practices, such as the arthroscopic Latarjet transfer. Further research and clinical experience will dictate which future innovations are ultimately embraced.

Past and present of interposition arthroplasties for joint repair with special tribute to the contribution by Vittorio Putti.

Several techniques have been proposed to restore the compromised function of a joint. These include the arthroplasty by placing various tissues or materials between the articular surfaces. An important contribution to the diffusion of arthroplasty techniques was made by Vittorio Putti, head of the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute in Bologna from 1912 to 1940. Interposition arthroplasty is still used for some non-weight-bearing joints, such as wrist and elbow, and gives good results. This type of surgery has been further developed by the improvement in biomaterials, biomechanical studies and the regenerative medicine. This paper describes the development starting from a historical survey particularly focused on Putti's contribution and ending with the state of the art of regenerative medicine in the treatment of joint diseases. Level of evidence V.

Biographical sketch: John Royal Moore, MD 1899-1988.

This biographical sketch on John R. Moore corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: Cartilaginous-cup Arthroplasty in Ununited Fractures of the Neck of the Femur (1948), available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-011-1974-z.

Evolution of the reverse total shoulder prosthesis.

Over the last decade, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty has gained significant popularity due to its ability to address difficult reconstructive shoulder problems that could not be adequately treated in the past. The concept of the reverse shoulder prosthesis was introduced in the 1970s, but the initial attempts were associated with high complication and implant failure rates. The pioneering work of Paul Grammont (shifting the center of rotation medially and distally) and the development of the DELTA prosthesis have been fundamental to all subsequent reverse shoulder arthroplasty systems. These semiconstrained prostheses utilize the deltoid to improve function and stability of the shoulder joint by coupling a convex glenoid with a concave humeral component. Modern generations of reverse shoulder prosthesis continue to evolve on the fundamentals of Grammont. Though results of these new prosthesis demonstrate promising outcomes, many controversies and challenges continue to be refined. An historical review of the evolution of reverse shoulder arthroplasty is presented, as well as the currently expanding indications for its application.

The instruments of the bonesetter.

Orthopaedic surgeons use a variety of instruments to help correct, treat, and heal bone disease. The development of these instruments mirrors the history of orthopaedic surgery. The history of bonesetting, the treatment and replacement of joints, and of those who performed these techniques, appears to originate deep in antiquity. Changing ideas within medicine and surgery over the last 200 years have shaped the discovery and evolution of orthopaedic instruments and of the bonesetters themselves. Advances have led to the use of computers as instruments in the navigational guidance of arthroplasty surgery, the use of robotics, the development of cordless drills and improvements in the design of blades to cut bone. Yet some of the old instruments remain; plaster of Paris bandages, the Thomas Splint, Liston's bonecutter, Gigli's saw, bone nibblers and Macewan's osteotomes are still in use. This paper presents a historical review of bonesetters and examines how orthopaedic instruments have evolved from antiquity to the 21st century.

Father of the modern hip replacement: Professor Sir John Charnley (1911-82).

Professor Sir John Charnley was a British orthopaedic surgeon, inventor and skilled craftsman. He is best known for his development of the first truly successful operation for total arthroplasty of the hip, the low-friction arthroplasty. As well as publishing significant works on closed fracture management and compression arthrodesis, he can also be accredited with pioneering work in the development of clean-air operating conditions and body-exhaust suits.

Overview of disc arthroplasty-past, present and future.

Degenerative disc disease is one of the most frequent spinal disorders. The anatomy and the biomechanics of the intervertebral disc are very complex, and the pathomechanics of its degeneration are poorly understood. Despite this complexity and uncertainty, great advances have been made in the field of disc replacement technology, with promising results. Difficulties are continuously being encountered, but careful analysis of the results and intensive research and development will assist in countering these problems. There are approximately 40 clinical reports in the literature describing various aspects of randomised controlled trials involving intervertebral disc arthroplasty. However, the majority of these publications do not provide reliable information, in that they give only interim results and/or the results from just one of the many centres in multicentre studies. Such publications must be interpreted with caution, since they do not always represent the results of the whole study population and may hence be underpowered. We identified six randomised controlled trials that compared the final clinical outcomes of disc arthroplasty and spinal fusion. The present systematic review attempts to give an overview of the current status of disc arthroplasty.

Biographical sketch: Nathaniel Allison, 1876-1932.

This biographical sketch of Nathaniel Allison corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: Symposium on Arthroplasty: Arthroplasty: Experimental and Clinical Methods, available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-1120-3 .

Surface replacement arthroplasty of the hip.

Treatment of the young patient with degenerative disease of the hip has historically been a difficult problem for the orthopaedist. Total hip arthroplasty in the young patient has generally produced inferior results as compared to older patients. Surface replacement arthroplasty (SRA) was initially developed over 50 years ago to treat degenerative disease of the hip. It has regained enthusiasm over the last 10 to 15 years as an alternative to total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of degenerative disease of the hip in younger patients. The modern metal-on-metal bearing provides improved wear characteristics over its metal-on-polyethylene predecessor. Multiple studies have demonstrated mid-term results of metal-on-metal SRA, which are comparable to total hip arthroplasty. The long-term survival data of SRA remains to be seen, as does the long-term effect of elevated serum ion levels.

Biologic resurfacing of the arthritic glenohumeral joint: Historical review and current applications.

In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in the use of biologic resurfacing of the glenoid for the treatment of glenohumeral arthritis in younger patients. We review the history as well as the current applications of this procedure.