The Effect of Capsular Repair Location on Humeral Head Position and Translation After Distal Tibial Allograft Reconstruction: A Cadaveric Study

Fury MS, Cirino CM, Jahandar A, Retzky JS, Brusalis CM, Rauck RC, Gulotta LV, Blaine TA, Fu MC, Warren RF, Kontaxis A, Taylor SA. The Effect of Capsular Repair Location on Humeral Head Position and Translation After Distal Tibial Allograft Reconstruction: A Cadaveric Study. Am J Sports Med. 2026 Jan;54(1):128-134. doi: 10.1177/03635465251389964. Epub 2026 Jan 1. PMID: 41476406.

Background: Distal tibial allograft (DTA) reconstruction has emerged as an effective option for the treatment of recurrent shoulder instability with glenoid bone loss (GBL). However, the ideal location for capsular repair during the procedure remains undetermined.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of capsular repair location on humeral head positioning and anterior translation after DTA.

Conclusion: When performing a DTA reconstruction for large GBL, capsular repair to the native glenoid results in a more posterior resting humeral head position and less maximum anterior translation during time-zero biomechanical testing. DTA without capsular repair and DTA with capsular repair to the graft restore glenohumeral position and motion closer to the native state. Capsular repair to the native glenoid may overconstrain the glenohumeral joint when performing distal tibial allograft reconstruction in the setting of large glenoid bone loss.

Read the full article on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41476406/