Shoulder arthroplasty-Past, present and future

Shoulder arthroplasty is one of the most successful procedures to treat end stage arthritis of gleno-humeral joint. It was popularised and pioneered by Dr Charles Neer around 50 years ago but the indications, implant designs as well as techniques for performing this procedure are continuously evolving. Amongst all orthopaedic joint replacements, it is the most rapidly growing with a seven fold increase envisaged over the next 15 years. This article discusses the evolution, current trends and the future direction of shoulder arthroplasty.