This week in Shoulder & Elbow

Sep 21–27, 2026 · 17 new studies, 10 reviews · Shoulder & Elbow archive · All weeks

The new Shoulder & Elbow research The Reduction sent the week of Sep 21–27, 2026, with the week’s most recent reviews, each with a one-line summary.

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New research

  1. Extra-Articular Malunions and Nonunions of the Scapular Body and Neck: A Comparison of Functional Outcomes Before and After Reconstruction.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 23 2026 · PubMed

    Surgical reconstruction of symptomatic scapular neck/body malunions and nonunions achieved universal union and significantly improved DASH scores, flexion, and abduction, though about a quarter needed further surgery.

  2. Rotator Cuff Tears Part II: Subscapularis Repair, Augmentation, and Tendon Transfer-An International Expert Consensus Statement.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 22 2026 · PubMed

    An international expert consensus reached strong agreement on subscapularis repair technique and tendon transfer indications for rotator cuff tears, but found no consensus on optimal graft augmentation or superior capsular reconstruction approaches.

  3. Indications for Isolated Arthroscopic Bankart Repair in the Adolescent Shoulder May Be Limited: Bipolar Bone Loss and Low Distance to Dislocation Found Commonly in an Adolescent Population With Glenohumeral Instability.

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · Sep 22 2026 · PubMed

    Adolescents presenting with shoulder instability commonly show bipolar bone loss and short distance to dislocation, suggesting isolated arthroscopic Bankart repair alone may be inadequate for many in this population.

  4. Early Postoperative Predictors of Two-Year Satisfaction after Ream and Run Arthroplasty.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 21 2026 · PubMed

    Comfort at rest at 3 months and comfortable sleep at 6 months after ream-and-run arthroplasty strongly predict patient satisfaction at 2 years, aiding early counseling.

  5. Myocardial Infarction Within 6 Months Before Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Is Associated With Significantly Increased Risk of Postoperative Myocardial Infarction.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 19 2026 · PubMed

    Large database analysis shows prior myocardial infarction, especially within 6 months, substantially raises the risk of postoperative MI after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, particularly without prior PCI.

  6. Preoperative Sepsis Is Associated With Increased 90-Day and 2-Year Complications Following Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Time-Stratified and Organism-Specific Analysis.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 19 2026 · PubMed

    In a large claims database study, preoperative sepsis within two years of total shoulder arthroplasty—especially within 3 months and from gram-positive/Staphylococcal organisms—significantly raised risks of postoperative infection and other complications, informing preoperative risk counseling.

  7. Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Arthroscopic Suture Anchor Fixation of Bony Bankart Lesions at a Mean 18-Year Follow-Up.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 18 2026 · PubMed

    Arthroscopic suture anchor fixation of bony Bankart lesions maintained excellent shoulder stability, high satisfaction, and low reoperation rates at a mean 18-year follow-up.

  8. Clinical Outcomes of Arthroscopic Treatment for Shoulder Joint Tuberculosis.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 18 2026 · PubMed

    Arthroscopic debridement and synovectomy combined with antitubercular therapy effectively treated shoulder joint tuberculosis, improving pain and function scores with low recurrence over a mean 54-month follow-up.

  9. Whole-Body Compensation Supports Early Functional Hygiene Recovery Despite Persistent Internal Rotation Deficits After Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 18 2026 · PubMed

    Reverse shoulder arthroplasty improves functional hand-behind-back task performance by 6 months mainly through increased trunk/lumbar compensation and altered muscle activation, despite persistent internal rotation deficits.

  10. Longer hospital stay but similar one-year mortality and readmission after combined proximal humerus and proximal femur fragility fractures: a Propensity-Score-Matched Cohort Study.

    Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery · Sep 16 2026 · PubMed

    Combined proximal humerus and femur fragility fractures required roughly twice the hospital stay of isolated humerus fractures but showed similar one-year mortality and readmission rates, suggesting benefit from shared orthogeriatric pathways.

  11. Implant selection and fixation in radial head arthroplasty: A qualitative analysis of surgeon decision-making.

    Shoulder & Elbow · Sep 15 2026 · PubMed

    Interviews with UK upper-limb surgeons reveal shared heuristics—especially bone quality and implant modularity—guiding radial head arthroplasty implant and fixation choices amid limited trial evidence.

  12. Clinical and radiological outcomes following complete release of the long head of triceps in reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

    Shoulder & Elbow · Sep 14 2026 · PubMed

    In 80 reverse shoulder arthroplasty patients, complete release of the long head of triceps preserved triceps strength at 2 years while significantly improving range of motion and patient-reported outcomes, with no dislocations or nerve injuries.

  13. Medial Epicondyle Morphology and Medial Elbow Gapping in High School Baseball Players: Implications for Throwing-Related Elbow Pain.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 10 2026 · PubMed

    In high school baseball players, medial elbow gapping under valgus stress (not epicondyle morphology or resting gap) was significantly associated with elbow pain within the past year, suggesting it reflects a dynamic rather than structural risk factor.

  14. Defining A Successful Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review of Clinically Relevant Outcome Metrics.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 10 2026 · PubMed

    This systematic review of 39 studies found ASES was the most-used shoulder arthroplasty outcome measure, but MCID, SCB, and PASS thresholds vary widely and lack standardization.

  15. Early Repair of Traumatic Massive Rotator Cuff Tears Improves Functional Outcomes Compared With Delayed Repair.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 01 2026 · PubMed

    In traumatic massive rotator cuff tears, arthroscopic repair within 3 weeks of injury yielded better ASES functional scores than delayed repair, though retear rates were similar.

  16. Does Contralateral Elbow Radiography Improve Diagnostic Accuracy of Paediatric Elbow Fractures amongst Emergency Residents?

    Journal of Hand Surgery (Asian-Pacific) · Aug 31 2026 · PubMed

    In a trial of 28 emergency residents, targeted education—not contralateral elbow radiographs—significantly improved diagnostic accuracy for pediatric elbow fractures.

  17. Assessment of the Standard Rotational Profile of the Radius and Ulna with Computed Tomography Imaging for the Treatment of Forearm Malunions.

    Journal of Wrist Surgery · Apr 28 2026 · PubMed

    CT-based measurements in uninjured forearms establish a normal rotational profile of the radius and ulna to aid preoperative planning for malunion/nonunion correction.

Recent reviews

  1. AC Joint Reconstruction Using Cortical Suture Button and Semitendinosus Allograft.

    Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma · Aug 01 2026 · PubMed

    This technique review describes AC joint reconstruction combining a cortical suture button with semitendinosus allograft, citing theoretical biomechanical advantages over other methods.

  2. Current Approaches to Arthroscopic Management of Anterior Shoulder Instability.

    JBJS Reviews · Aug 01 2026 · PubMed

    This review covers current arthroscopic management of anterior shoulder instability, emphasizing glenoid track concept, remplissage indications, and Latarjet versus distal tibial allograft reconstruction for bone loss.

  3. Robotic-Assisted Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: Rationale, Potential, Challenges, and Future Directions.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · May 06 2026 · PubMed

    This review outlines the rationale, potential benefits, and implementation challenges of robotic-assisted reverse shoulder arthroplasty, aimed at improving implant positioning accuracy.

  4. Treatment and Prevention of Injuries in Skeletally Immature Throwing Athletes.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Jan 15 2026 · PubMed

    This review covers diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies for common overuse throwing injuries—like Little League shoulder/elbow and UCL injuries—in skeletally immature athletes.

  5. Convertible Humeral and Glenoid Components for Anatomic Shoulder Arthroplasty.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Apr 01 2025 · PubMed

    Convertible humeral and glenoid components aim to simplify revision from anatomic to reverse shoulder arthroplasty, though glenoid loosening and stem malposition remain challenges despite recent design improvements.

  6. Medical Imaging Applications Developed Using Artificial Intelligence Demonstrate High Internal Validity Yet Are Limited in Scope and Lack External Validation.

    Arthroscopy · Feb 2025 · PubMed

    A scoping review finds deep learning models for sports medicine imaging show excellent internal diagnostic accuracy but are narrowly focused, rarely externally validated, and have limited current clinical applicability.

  7. Surgical Applications for Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 2024 · PubMed

    This review outlines surgical uses of bone marrow aspirate concentrate as an adjuvant orthobiologic for cartilage repair, though robust randomized trial evidence remains lacking.

  8. Bony Bankart Lesion: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.

    JBJS Reviews · May 01 2024 · PubMed

    This review covers diagnosis, nonoperative vs. arthroscopic/open management, and generally favorable outcomes of bony Bankart lesions in young athletes with anterior shoulder instability.

  9. Elbow Arthroscopy: Essential Principles of Positioning, Anatomy, and Portal Placement.

    Techniques in Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery · Mar 01 2024 · PubMed

    This technical review covers essential positioning, anatomy, and portal placement principles for safe and effective elbow arthroscopy across its range of surgical indications.

  10. Rehabilitation of the painful shoulder.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Feb 2024 · PubMed

    This review discusses rehabilitating painful shoulders in overhead athletes by combining pathoanatomic and movement-impairment assessments to guide more individualized, evidence-based treatment.

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