Introduction

I welcome the journal readership to this issue of Seminars in Arthroplasty, which contains a selected compilation of 17 shoulder papers presented at the Spring 2006 Current Concepts in Joint Replacement meeting held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The papers provide commentaries from orthopaedic thought leaders with recognized expertise in upper extremity reconstruction.

Contemporary insight into the cutting edge science and clinical practice of shoulder reconstruction was presented to a large audience of orthopaedic practitioners from 41 countries, providing a relevant learning opportunity. Embodied in the following pages are case challenges, clinical reports, and commentary on evolving surgical techniques and technologies.

The Current Concepts meetings began 24 years ago with the initial purpose of offsetting the costs of the research and educational endeavors of the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, which has contributed to the training of countless residents, fellows, and medical and graduate students. The meetings soon took on a life of their own as an intense forum for orthopaedic surgical education particular to joint arthroplasty. They attract large international audiences, providing an orthopaedic learning continuum for the practitioner through the real-time didactic of the classroom and the provision of enduring meeting materials inclusive of audio CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and this annual issue. Ultimately, the meeting is placed on www.CCJR.com.

No undertaking of this size can occur through the actions of a single person. The faculty, in a very real way, have been the codirectors of these meetings. The unselfish, countless hours they have willingly spent with me on the telephone or in meeting explaining the intricacies of the craft, really is the sine qua non of the meeting’s success.

I thank Peter F. Sharkey, MD, the Editor of the journal as well as David Dionne, Executive Publisher of Elsevier, who continually encourage this effort. I also write with particular admiration for Christine S. Heim, BSc, of CCJR for her tireless effort, which truly made this issue possible.