RT Journal
A1 Levine, William N.
T1 Commentary on an article by Brett P. Wiater, MD, et al.: “Risk Factors for Chondrolysis of the Glenohumeral Joint. A Study of Three Hundred and Seventy-five Shoulder Arthroscopic Procedures in the Practice of an Individual Community Surgeon”
JF The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
JO The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery
YR 2011
FD April 6
VO 93
IS 7
SP e32 1
OP 2
DO 10.2106/JBJS.K.00032
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.K.00032
AB 
Chondrolysis remains a catastrophic and devastating condition of the shoulder that has had many associated but not well-proven causes. Numerous published case reports and small case series have led to difficulty in extrapolating any meaningful data with respect to the true etiology of this condition1-6. Wiater et al. were presented with a unique opportunity to review a specific cohort of patients from a single community orthopaedic surgeon as a result of a medicolegal action related to chondrolysis. They were provided complete access to the medical records on 375 intra-articular shoulder arthroscopic procedures performed by the surgeon from 1999 to 2008. A number of factors were assessed, including patient age at the time of surgery, side of surgery, date of surgery, preoperative diagnosis, type of anesthesia, procedure performed, use and type of suture anchors, use of radiofrequency, and use and location of a postoperative local anesthetic infusion catheter. They also were able to ascertain the type and concentration of local anesthetic used for postoperative analgesia and whether epinephrine was used in the infusate.