Shoulder complications in sickle cell disease: Challenges, management strategies, and future directions

Core Tip

Core Tip: This comprehensive narrative review highlights the challenges of managing shoulder complications in sickle cell disease (SCD) which discusses a critical and underexplored part of this disease. The review synthesizes current evidence on the three primary complications avascular necrosis, osteomyelitis, and septic arthritis. SCD leads to chronic hemolysis and vaso-occlousive crisis contribute to ischemic damage, with humeral head avascular necrosis often underdiagnosed due to overlapping symptoms with other conditions. Early diagnosis and differentiation rely on advanced imaging and laboratory tests. Management includes pain control, core decompression for early stages, and arthroplasty for advanced cases. Given the scarcity of research on shoulder pathology in SCD, larger, long-term studies are needed to refine treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.