Evaluating Rotator Cuff Health After Shoulder Replacement

This study is looking at the health of your rotator cuff muscles after total shoulder replacement surgery for osteoarthritis. Researchers will use CT scans of your shoulders to understand how the rotator cuff is doing one and two years after surgery. The study is trying to see if there are signs of nerve damage (Active Nerve Denervation) or other nerve changes (Neuropathic Changes_amplitude) in the rotator cuff at these time points. You may be able to join if you are over 45, have osteoarthritis of the shoulder, had your total shoulder replacement done by Dr. Armstrong, received a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) during surgery, and can speak and write in English. The study plans to enroll 30 participants, but its current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This is an interventional study planning to enroll 30 participants. It is not specified if it is randomized or blinded.
What's involved
You would have CT scans of both your operative and nonoperative shoulders at one and two years after your surgery.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for two years after their surgery to measure nerve changes.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT03921944

Evaluation of Structural and Functional Integrity of the Rotator Cuff After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Recruiting
NAAges 45+InterventionalTreatment
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
~30 participants
Updated 2026-08-13 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:CT scan of the shoulders

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Active Nerve Denervation
Measured over one year post surgery
+11 more outcomes measured
Osteoarthritis of Shoulder

NCT03921944

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Penn State Hershey Medical Center

    Hershey, Pennsylvaniastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

  • April D Armstrong, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

age \>45yrs
primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the shoulder
total shoulder replacement performed by Dr. Armstrong
administered a local anesthetic mixture and not regional anesthesia
all genders
Fluent in written and spoken English
Patients capable of giving informed consent

Exclusion

Known contraindications to CT/EMG
Inability to provide informed consent
History of recent trauma to the shoulder
Atypical shoulder pain
Other suspected shoulder pathology (i.e. tumor, infection)
Pregnancy
Bilateral total shoulder arthroplasty
  • Active Nerve Denervationone year post surgery

    EMG examination will be performed by a single neurologist. The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles (upper subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and rhomboid) to look for any presence or absence of active denervation. Presence indicated by increased insertional activity, fibrillation potential, positive sharp waves and/or with fasciculations in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Active Nerve Denervationtwo year post surgery

    EMG examination will be performed by a single neurologist. The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles (upper subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and rhomboid) to look for any presence or absence of active denervation. Presence indicated by increased insertional activity, fibrillation potential, positive sharp waves and/or with fasciculations in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Neuropathic Changes_amplitudeone year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles (upper subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and rhomboid) to look for the presence or absence of neuropathic changes assessed by examining unit morphology amplitude: measured in millivolts, in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Neuropathic Changes_amplitudetwo year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles (upper subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and rhomboid) to look for the presence or absence of neuropathic changes assessed by examining unit morphology amplitude: measured in millivolts, in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Neuropathic Changes_recruitment patternone year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles (upper subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and rhomboid) to look for the presence or absence of neuropathic changes assessed by examining unit morphology: phases with recruitment pattern measured as 1-2 or 3-4 units in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Neuropathic Changes_recruitment patterntwo year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles (upper subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and rhomboid) to look for the presence or absence of neuropathic changes assessed by examining unit morphology: phases with recruitment pattern measured as 1-2 or 3-4 units in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Neuropathic Changes_durationone year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles in both operated and unoperated shoulders to look for the presence or absence of neuropathic changes assessed by examining unit morphology: duration measured in milliseconds.

  • Neuropathic Changes_durationtwo year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed on the muscles in both operated and unoperated shoulders to look for the presence or absence of neuropathic changes assessed by examining unit morphology: duration measured in milliseconds.

  • Total number of Muscles affected with active denervationone year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed to look for abnormal changes as indicated by presence of active nerve denervation across the 5 muscles (upper subscapularis, Infraspinatus, Supraspinatus, teres minor, Rhomboid) in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Total number of Muscles affected with active denervationtwo year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed to look for abnormal changes as indicated by presence of active nerve denervation across the 5 muscles (upper subscapularis, Infraspinatus, Supraspinatus, teres minor, Rhomboid) in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Total number of muscles affected with neuropathic changesone year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed to look for neuropathic changes as indicated by amplitude, recruitment pattern and duration across the 5 muscles (upper subscapularis, Infraspinatus, Supraspinatus, teres minor, Rhomboid) in both operated and unoperated shoulders.

  • Total number of muscles affected with neuropathic changestwo year post surgery

    The EMG Examination will be performed to look for neuropathic changes as indicated by amplitude, recruitment pattern and duration across the 5 muscles (upper subscapularis, Infraspinatus, Supraspinatus, teres minor, Rhomboid) in both operated and unoperated shoulders.