Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Background Chondromalacia is the cartilage erosion on the articulating surfaces of the shoulder. Conventional care encompasses activity modification, physical therapy, medication, and the consideration of surgical methods. This study evaluates umbilical cord tissue allografts (UCTa) as an alternative intervention for chondromalacia in the glenohumeral joint, utilizing structural and functional properties to provide support and cushioning when standard care fails. Methods From an observational repository, 115 patients with treatment-resistant chondromalacia of the shoulder were identified who received one to three applications of UCTa based on the severity of degeneration and reported pain. The data included patient-reported scales, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, the Western Ontario and McMaster University Arthritis Index, and the Quality of Life Scale. The data were tested using the Wilcoxon signed rank (WSRT), Kruskal-Wallis H, Mann-Whitney U, and Jonckheere-Terpstra tests. Results The cohort showed improvements on average in all categories, irrespective of the number of applications, reaching significant p-values (p < 0.05) in the WSRT comparison of initial to final visits. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions Limitations included a small sample size, no control group, recall bias, and the use of a non-specific scale. The results of this study expand the current literature of alternative noninvasive care for chondromalacia of the shoulder. The application of UCTa correlates with beneficial patient outcomes, and further studies with randomized controlled trials are merited in validating efficacy and defining dosage and best practice procedures.</p>