title: Unicameral bone cyst of the humeral head: arthroscopic curettage and bone grafting.
abstract: Arthroscopic surgery has improved greatly over the past decade. Treatment of various juxta-articular disorders around the shoulder have benefited from endoscopic approaches. Cystic lesions of the shoulder on the scapular side have been treated in this way. This article describes a case of a 29-year-old patient with a unicameral bone cyst on the posterior aspect of the humeral head. Arthroscopic visualization using an accessory posteroinferior portal localized the cyst through the bare area of the humeral head. A cannulated burr was used to create an opening through the cortical wall between the cyst and the joint, and a careful curettage was performed. The cavity was filled with a demineralized bone matrix enriched with autologous blood packed into an arthroscopic cannula and delivered through the accessory portal. The patient reported pain relief immediately postoperatively and at follow-up. This case demonstrates the feasibility of arthroscopic treatment of a simple bone cyst of the humeral head. We believe that the knowledge of the juxta-articular anatomy allows the applications of scope-assisted procedures to be expanded, maximizing the results of a technique that allows a shorter recovery and less painful rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Policlinico di Scienze Medico-Chirurgiche Via Morandi 30, 20097 San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Randelli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arrigoni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cabitza
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Denti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D001845:Bone Cysts / Q000601:surgery*; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003475:Curettage / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome