Arthroscopic Minced Cartilage Repair in the Glenohumeral Joint - Short Term Clinical Outcome in a 33-Year-Old Handyman: A Case Report

Abstract

Objective: Clinical outcome data for the novel minced cartilage procedure are sparse. While good results have been shown for the knee joint, this is the first report in the current literature regarding this increasingly important procedure in the glenohumeral joint.

Case description: A 33-year-old handyman with a cartilage defect in the humeral head underwent an all arthroscopic one-stage cartilage repair with the AutoCart^TM procedure (Arthrex GmbH, Munich, Germany). A senior specialist examined the patient before surgery, five-, 12-and 24-weeks post-surgery. Outcome parameters (Constant-Murley Score, UCLA Shoulder Score and ASES Score) and radiographic imaging were recorded.

Results: At six months, follow-up the outcome parameter showed excellent results, the joint pain decreased to numeric rating scale (NRS) 0. The postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a thin cartilage layer in the treated area with sufficient integration to the surrounding tissue. The cartilage in the former defect zone presented a homogeneous signal, which was comparable to the intact cartilage.

Conclusion: This case report underlines the growing interest in single-stage arthroscopic minced cartilage procedures and shows promising results in the glenohumeral joint. Yet, larger investigations with long-term follow-up are necessary to provide reliable clinical data to determine if comparable results can be achieved over time.

Keywords: cartilage repair; minced cartilage; shoulder.