Shoulder

Resurfacing

When deciding on the most appropriate treatment option for a patient, the surgeon will consider what future treatment options remain available should the patient require revision surgery. For this reason, the surgeon may in some cases wish to preserve as much bone stock as possible to assist with the fixation of future implants.

Unlike a stemmed shoulder replacement (such as the Tornier Aequalis Classic), resurfacing implants achieve their fixation within the humeral head through a short peg or screw. This leaves the humeral shaft untouched, which is a benefit should a future stemmed prosthesis become necessary.

NorthStar Orthopaedics is at the forefront of Humeral Resurfacing, with the most comprehensive range available to surgeons in the UK. This range has been built around the complimentary products of two companies, Tornier with their Aequalis Resurfacing, and Arthrosurface with the HemiCAP implant. Through these products, we give surgeons the flexibility to resurface all stages of the arthritic condition, from small cartilage defects that left untreated will develop into osteoarthritis, through to implants that give complete coverage of the humeral head.

In July 2007, Tornier and NorthStar released the Aequalis Resurfacing into the UK. Using the same head sizes as the Aequalis Classic, the Aequalis Resurfacing is an equally anatomic solution. The instrumentation is simple and elegant, with colour coding to assist the surgical team. Secure fixation is provided by the HA coated doppled underside and the tri-fin. As a result of these features, the Aequalis Resurfacing has been extremely well received and is now used regularly in a number of the UK’s leading shoulder units.

The HemiCAP device from Arthrosurface is the most conservative choice available for humeral resurfacing. With diameters ranging from 25mm through to 40mm, the smallest HemiCAP implants can resurface a localised cartilage lesion in the shoulder, leaving the remainder of the humeral head untouched, whilst the largest sizes achieve complete coverage of the articulating surface. The system is unique in the way it utilises intra-operative mapping to measure the curvature of the humeral head so that the replacement will precisely match the original geometry of the joint. These replacements are selected from a wide range of symmetric and asymmetric caps, resulting in an extremely anatomic fit.

The HemiCAP implant is an excellent option for the younger patient, as it can be revised to either a larger resurfacing implant such as the Tornier Aequalis Resurfacing, or to a stemmed prosthesis such as the Tornier Aequalis Classic.

To learn more about the Aequalis Resurfacing and the HemiCAP implant, please follow the manufacturers’ links to the right hand side of this page. If you are a clinician, you can call your local NorthStar Area Manager via the Contacts section of this website.