Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery
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One hundred twenty-seven shoulders treated with replacement arthroplasty for osteonecrosis of the humeral head were reviewed and assessed by mailed questionnaire for results, durability, and complications. These included 71 humeral head replacements and 56 total shoulder replacements. Thirty-six shoulders were lost to follow-up because of death of the patient; an additional 3 shoulders were locking survey follow-up. ⋯ The most common postoperative complication was rotator cuff tearing, found in 23 (18.1%) of 127 shoulders. This complication was more common in shoulders with a history of any surgery. The cause of osteonecrosis and previous treatment have important implications for the results of shoulder replacement for this disease.