The Evaluation of Hill-Sachs Injuries and the Use of Humeral Head Allograft for Repair of Hill-Sachs and Reverse Hill-Sachs Injuries

The human shoulder is an inherently stable joint. Changes within the anatomical structure of the shoulder, both static and dynamic, allow for significant movement in multiple planes, making the shoulder one of the most commonly dislocated joints in the body. Anterior glenohumeral dislocation can result in glenoid bone loss because of fracture abrasion or the compression of the anterior inferior glenoid against the posterior lateral aspect of the humeral head known as a “Hill-Sachs” lesion. Posterior shoulder instability is a much more rare injury, which may result in significant bone defects of the anterior humeral head. Often, small defects are addressed by soft tissue repair, whereas larger defects may require a bony procedure, such as the use of humeral head allograft for the repair of Hill-Sachs and reverse Hill-Sachs lesions.