Omarthrosis (synonyms: shoulder arthrosis; glenohumeral joint arthrosis; arthrosis of the shoulder joint; defective arthropathy; shoulder joint wear; glenohumeral arthrosis; ICD-10-GM M19.91: Osteoarthritis, unspecified: Shoulder region) is a degenerative disease of the shoulder joint (glenohumeral joint; glenohumeral joint). It refers to wear and tear of the cartilage in the humeral head (ball at the end of the humerus) and/or glenoid cavity (cavitas glendoidalis).
Normally, cartilage, along with synovial fluid (synovial fluid), protects joints and acts as a type of “shock absorber.” Due to osteoarthritis, this function can no longer be guaranteed. Omarthrosis is divided into the following forms:
- Primary Omarthrosis – the cause is unknown (idiopathic); Occurrence: more common than secondary Omarthrosis; it accounts for 3% of all osteoarthritis.
- Secondary Omarthrosis – the cause is known: e.g. rotator cuff defects, humeral head fractures, shoulder dislocations; synovial diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis), humeral head necrosis.
Omarthrosis is among the rarer forms of osteoarthritis (about 26%).
Gender ratio: men suffer more often from secondary omarthrosis than women.
Frequency peak: Primary omarthrosis occurs predominantly in older age (with an average of 60 years). Secondary omarthrosis occurs predominantly in individuals around 40 years of age.
Compared to the arthroses of the large leg joints, omarthrosis occurs relatively rarely as a clinical picture requiring therapy.
The prevalence of arthritic changes in the glenohumeral joint (shoulder joint) is about 30%. Approximately 10,000 shoulder prostheses are implanted annually (in Germany).
Course and prognosis: The onset of omarthrosis is usually insidious. The disease is not curable, but adequate treatments can significantly alleviate symptoms and prevent or slow progression (progression).
