(English) Episode 248-The Billion Dollar Shoulder Surgery Illusion

This research article presents the 10-year results of the FIMPACT trial, a study investigating the long-term effectiveness of arthroscopic subacromial decompression for shoulder pain. Researchers compared the surgical procedure against both placebo surgery and structured exercise therapy to determine if the operation provided superior relief for patients. The findings reveal that decompression surgery offers no additional benefit in reducing pain or improving shoulder function compared to the other two groups. While all participants experienced significant recovery over a decade, the study concludes that the surgical intervention is not clinically advantageous. Consequently, the authors suggest that healthcare systems should prioritize non-operative treatments and move away from performing this common but ineffective procedure.(Kanto K, Bäck M, Ibounig T, Björkenheim R, Malmivaara A, Czuba T, et al. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression versus placebo surgery for subacromial pain syndrome: 10 year follow-up of the FIMPACT randomised, placebo surgery controlled trial. BMJ [Internet]. 2025;391:e086201. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2025-086201)