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Doctors took a look at man's painful shoulder—they found the joint was missing
The term “Milwaukee Shoulder Syndrome” was coined in 1981, based on cases in four women.
TL;DR
- A man's right shoulder joint was found to be entirely missing and destroyed.
- X-rays showed the humeral head was gone, and the upper arm bone was detached.
- MRI revealed full-thickness tears in three of the four main rotator cuff tendons.
- The condition was diagnosed as Milwaukee Shoulder Syndrome (MSS).
- MSS involves hydroxyapatite crystal deposition, leading to tissue destruction and inflammation.
- While often seen in women and linked to trauma/surgery, the cause in this man is unclear, though construction work and a prior rotator cuff injury are noted.
- Treatment for advanced cases like this involves shoulder replacement.