Biologic supplementation and augmentation techniques have become popular in recent years. There has been considerable media attention regarding professional athletes and celebrities who have traveled around the world to receive treatments using proprietary cocktails of platelet rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrates, extracellular matrix, adipose-derived stem cells, human as well as xenograft derived collagen implants and protein supplements among other components.

Unfortunately, the medical evidence regarding these treatments has often been inconsistent, inadequate with respect to levels of evidence with a dearth of mid- and long-term data to guide our treatments.

This presentation will review the data available regarding the treatment of rotator cuff tendinosis, partial thickness rotator cuff tears, full thickness rotator cuff tears and osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint. Unfortunately, there are more questions than answers regarding the use of biologics.

Humeral component failure in total shoulder arthroplasty has been rare with contemporary design systems. Are stemless implant designs superior to contemporary short-stem humeral component technologies? This presentation will provide information to address this question.

Stemless technology became available in Europe and other parts of the world in 2004 and 2005 compared to only recently in the United States of America. Short-stem designs have developed with third generation implant systems.

Advantages of short-stem implant designs include the following: the humeral canal facilitates proper head component position; modularity between the stem and head allows for modifications of version, inclination and offset to match the native anatomy and these designs are convertible for easier revision.

This debate will demonstrate that short-stem implant designs provide the surgeon with more versatility to provide our patients with the best outcomes.