Atypical localizations of calcific deposits in the shoulder

• Case 1: massive calcific deposits in the context of the supraspinatus muscle belly.
• Case 2: calcific deposits at the biceps anchor.
• Case 3: calcific deposits in the cranial intra-articular trait of the subscapularis tendon.
• These 3 atypical cases were not responsive to conservative treatment.
• Arthroscopic removal of the deposits ensured an optimal clinical outcome.

IntroductionCalcific tendinopathies of the shoulder are due to inflammation around deposits of calcium within periarticular tendineal structures.Presentation of casesWe present three cases of atypical localization of calcium deposits in the shoulder. All of the cases have been treated with arthroscopic excision, followed by post-operative rehabilitation, regaining excellent results. Patients were evaluated 6 months after surgery using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) and the UCLA modified shoulder rating.DiscussionCalcific tendinopathy is a self-limiting condition or is successfully treated with conservative therapy especially during the early phases of the pathology. If conservative measures fail, removal of calcium deposits is recommended. Arthroscopic management showed good results in our three cases.ConclusionWe suggest that arthroscopic treatment of calcific tendonitis guarantees good results even when calcium deposits are in atypical locations.