The impact of fellowship type on trends and complications following total shoulder arthroplasty for osteoarthrosis by recently trained board-eligible orthopedic surgeons

Anatomic or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty? How fellowship training affects selection of arthroplasty type

BACKGROUND

Although both anatomic (ATSA) and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) have been popularized as a means of treating individuals with degenerative shoulder conditions, the indications for each can vary widely among providers. Although surgeons with differing fellowship training commonly perform these procedures, it is not understood how fellowship training influences choice of implant.

METHODS

A national database was queried to identify surgeons performing ATSA and rTSA. For all surgeons who performed more than 10 cases between 2010 and 2022, fellowship data were individually collected via an online search. For each fellowship group, rates of ATSA and rTSA were identified using International Classification of Diseases procedural codes. Those who underwent revision arthroplasty and those with a history of fracture, infection, or malignancy were excluded. Primary outcome measures included the proportion of primary and revision ATSAs and rTSAs by fellowship in addition to the rate of rTSA performed for a primary diagnosis of glenohumeral osteoarthritis.

RESULTS

A total of 131,974 patients met the inclusion criteria and were retained for this study. The proportion of rTSAs increased from 50.1% of all primary shoulder arthroplasty cases in 2011 to 72.0% in 2022. After adjusting for age and comorbidities, Sports Medicine fellowship-trained (Sports) surgeons opted for primary rTSA over ATSA at a significantly higher rate than Shoulder and Elbow fellowship-trained (Shoulder) surgeons and surgeons who completed another type of fellowship or no fellowship (Other). Sports surgeons also chose rTSA more frequently for the diagnosis of glenohumeral osteoarthritis than Shoulder surgeons. Surgeons in the Other cohort were more likely to perform primary ATSA rather than rTSA in comparison with surgeons in the Shoulder and Sports cohorts. Sports surgeons were responsible for the greatest increase in the percentage of all shoulder arthroplasty procedures from 2010 to 2022 (28.4%-40.4%), whereas the Other group decreased by a comparable amount (45.9%-32.4%) over the same period.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgeons who have completed a Sports Medicine fellowship choose rTSA over ATSA at a higher rate than Shoulder and Elbow surgeons, both for all indications and for a primary diagnosis of glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Those who have no fellowship training or fellowship training outside of Sports Medicine and Shoulder and Elbow surgery have the highest percentage of ATSAs in their arthroplasty practice. Revision ATSA and revision rTSA represent a larger percentage of overall case volume for Shoulder and Elbow surgeons.

How fellowship training affects complication rate after shoulder arthroplasty: a nationwide assessment

BACKGROUND

Total shoulder arthroplasty is performed by orthopedic surgeons with various fellowship training backgrounds. Whether surgeons performing shoulder arthroplasty with different types of fellowship training have differing rates of complications and reoperation remains unknown.

METHODS

The PearlDiver Mariner database was retrospectively queried from the years 2010 to 2022. Patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty were selected using the CPT code 23472. Those undergoing revision arthroplasty and those with a history of fracture, infection, or malignancy were excluded. Fellowship was determined and verified via online search. Only surgeons who performed a minimum of 10 cases were selected; and PearlDiver was queried using their provider ID codes. Primary outcome measures included 90-day, 1-year, and 5-year rates of complication and reoperation. A Bonferroni correction was utilized in which the significance threshold was set at P ≤ .00023.

RESULTS

In total, 150,385 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Analysis of surgical trends revealed that Sports Medicine and Shoulder and Elbow fellowship-trained surgeons are performing an increasing percentage of all shoulder arthroplasty over time, with each cohort exhibiting an 11.3% and 4.2% increase from 2010 to 2022, respectively. The geographic region with the highest proportion of cases performed by Sports Medicine surgeons was the West, while the Northeast has the highest proportion of cases performed by Shoulder and Elbow surgeons. Shoulder and Elbow surgeons operated on patients that were significantly younger and had fewer comorbidities. Both Shoulder and Elbow and Sports Medicine surgeons had lower rates of postoperative complications at 90 days, 1 year, and 5 years in comparison to surgeons who completed another type of fellowship or no fellowship. Across each time point, the rates of individual complications between Sports Medicine and Shoulder and Elbow were comparable, but the pooled complication rate was lowest in the Shoulder and Elbow cohort.

CONCLUSION

Surgeons who have completed either a Sports Medicine or Shoulder and Elbow fellowship are performing an increasing proportion of shoulder arthroplasty over time. Sports Medicine and Shoulder and Elbow-trained surgeons have significantly lower complication rates at 90 days, 1 year, and 5 years postoperatively. The individual complication rates between Sports Medicine and Shoulder and Elbow are comparable, but Shoulder and Elbow have the lowest pooled complication rates overall.

Early career opportunities and practice characteristics of recent graduates of shoulder and elbow fellowship programs

BACKGROUND

There exists anecdotal evidence that influential faculty members actively dissuade orthopedic surgery residents from pursuing a fellowship in shoulder and elbow due to a perceived lack of availability of jobs following graduation. The aims of the present study are to evaluate whether this perception is true by characterizing the early career opportunities and practice characteristics of recent graduates of shoulder and elbow fellowship programs through a survey of graduates of the past 5 years.

METHODS

An anonymous 39-question survey was designed and approved by the leadership of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES). The survey was distributed via electronic mail to the fellowship directors and coordinators of the 31 ASES-recognized shoulder and elbow fellowship programs. The fellowship directors and coordinators then sent the survey to the shoulder and elbow fellowship graduates of the last 5 years (2016-2020). Following a total of 4 emails, the survey closed after 8 weeks, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Seventy-six of 171 (44.4%) fellows responded. In total, 89.5% were very or somewhat satisfied with their fellowship experience, and 90.8% would pursue a shoulder and elbow fellowship again. Notably, 100% of shoulder and elbow fellowship graduates surveyed in the past 5 years have secured employment. The average number of total orthopedic and shoulder and elbow cases performed annually was 296.7 (SD 141.3) and 173.9 (SD 120.2), respectively. In addition, 62.7% and 89% of respondents were very or somewhat satisfied with the volume and surgical complexity of shoulder and elbow cases, respectively. For the fellows that believed their case experience to be inadequate, the most common reasons were competition from other practices (66.0%) and inadequate patient volume (59.6%).

CONCLUSION

Recent graduates of the ASES-recognized shoulder and elbow fellowship programs demonstrate a high level of satisfaction with the fellowship and their subspeciality selection. The majority of fellows believed that completing a shoulder and elbow fellowship enhanced their job opportunities. Altogether, there are ample job opportunities and high satisfaction with the volume and complexity of cases as an early career shoulder and elbow surgeon.

Decreased Case Volume for Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellows During the Early Stages of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Purpose

To compare the surgical case volume for orthopaedic sports medicine fellows in the most recent classes with one another and in years preceding the pandemic.

Methods

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case log reports of key procedures for orthopaedic sports medicine fellows during academic years 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021 were extracted. Comparisons between these years in adult, pediatric, and total case volumes were performed using a 2-sample t-test to detect significant changes in the average number of key procedures completed between consecutive years.

Results

There was a significant decrease in the total number of cases completed by fellows during the 2020 academic year (P = .043) compared with 2019, immediately followed by a significant increase in case volume in 2021 (P < .001) (2019, 339 ± 123; 2020, 316.2 ± 108; 2021, 356.5 ± 117). There was a significant increase in adult case volume from 2020 to 2021 (2020, 295.7 ± 106; 2021, 332.9 ± 117; P < .001), whereas no trends were noted in pediatric case volume. Between the prepandemic year of 2019 and the first year of the pandemic, significant decreases were noted in case volume for several procedures, including multiligamentous knee injuries, knee instability and pediatric hip arthroscopy. From the first to the second years of the pandemic (2019-2020 to 2020-2021), significant increases were observed in case volume for rotator cuff, acromioclavicular instability, elbow instability, knee cartilage, and meniscal surgeries.

Conclusions

Orthopaedic sports medicine fellows experienced significant decreases in volume for several key case categories between the year preceding the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the first academic year during the pandemic. There were subsequent increases in cases between the first year of the pandemic and the second year, which may be associated with resuming elective surgical cases.

Level of Evidence

IV, retrospective database analysis.

Treatment trends in distal humerus fractures between ABOS part II candidates

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine how fellowship training influences the treatment of distal humerus fractures with either total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) or open reduction internal fixation (ORIF).

METHODS

The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Part II Examination Database was queried for all orthopaedic surgeons who sat for the Part II examination between the years 2003-2019. Inclusion criteria were ORIF or TEA cases, selected by individual CPT codes for each procedure, and patients of at least age 65 years who sustained acute distal humerus fractures. Analysis was performed for each type of fellowship training completed, total number of procedures performed, the type of procedure performed, patient demographics, and any complications.

RESULTS

There were 149 TEAs and 1306 ORIFs performed for distal humerus fractures between the exam years of 2003-2019. The proportion of TEA to ORIF increased from 7.6% to 11.0%. Partitioned by fellowship training, Hand and Upper Extremity surgeons performed 69 (17.4%) TEAs and 328 (82.6%) ORIFs, Shoulder and Elbow surgeons performed 34 (29.6%) TEAs and 81 (70.4%) ORIFs, Sports Medicine surgeons performed 14 (5.1%) TEAs and 263 (94.6%) ORIFs, and Trauma surgeons performed 16 (4.2%) TEAs and 366 (95.8%) ORIFs. Hand and Upper Extremity surgeons treated the most distal humerus fractures (397, 27.3%), followed by Trauma surgeons (382, 26.3%).

CONCLUSION

Our data suggests that fellowship training does influence the surgical decision-making process for treating distal humerus fractures in elderly populations. Hand and Upper Extremity surgeons performed the greatest number of TEA for acute distal humerus fractures, followed by Shoulder and Elbow surgeons. Conversely, trauma surgeons performed the lowest proportion of TEA to ORIF.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Characteristics and risk factors for 90-day readmission following shoulder arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse TSA are the standard of care for end-stage shoulder arthritis. Advancements in implant design, perioperative management, and patient selection have allowed shorter inpatient admissions. Unplanned readmissions remain a significant complication. Identification of risk factors for readmission is prudent as physicians and payers prepare for the adoption of bundled care reimbursement models. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics and risk factors associated with readmission following shoulder arthroplasty using a large, bi-institutional cohort.

METHODS

A total of 2805 anatomic TSAs and 2605 reverse TSAs drawn from 2 geographically diverse, tertiary health systems were examined for unplanned inpatient readmissions within 90 days following the index operation (primary outcome). Forty preoperative patient sociodemographic and comorbidity factors were tested for their significance using both univariable and multivariable logistic regression models, and backward stepwise elimination selected for the most important associations for 90-day readmission. Readmissions were characterized as either medical or surgical, and subgroup analysis was performed. A short length of stay (discharge by postoperative day 1) and discharge to a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility were also examined as secondary outcomes. Parameters associated with increased readmission risk were included in a predictive model.

RESULTS

Within 90 days of surgery, 175 patients (3.2%) experienced an unanticipated readmission, with no significant difference between institutions (P = .447). There were more readmissions for surgical complications than for medical complications (62.9% vs. 37.1%, P < .001). Patients discharged to a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility were significantly more likely to be readmitted (13.1% vs. 8.8%, P = .049), but a short inpatient length of stay was not associated with an increased rate of 90-day readmission (42.9% vs. 41.3%, P = .684). Parameter selection based on predictive ability resulted in a multivariable logistic regression model composed of 16 preoperative patient factors, including reverse TSA, revision surgery, right-sided surgery, and various comorbidities. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve for this multivariable logistic regression model was 0.716.

CONCLUSION

Risk factors for unplanned 90-day readmission following shoulder arthroplasty include reverse shoulder arthroplasty, surgery for revision and fracture, and right-sided surgery. Additionally, there are several modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors that can be used to ascertain a patient's readmission probability. A shorter inpatient stay is not associated with an increased risk of readmission, whereas discharge to post-acute care facilities does impose a greater risk of readmission. As scrutiny around health care cost increases, identifying and addressing risk factors for readmission following shoulder arthroplasty will become increasingly important.

Simulation in shoulder arthroplasty education using three-dimensional planning software: the role of guidelines and predicted range of motion

AIM

To demonstrate how reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) planning software could be used to improve how the trainees position glenoid and humeral implants and obtain optimal simulated range of motion (ROM).

METHODS

We selected four groups of five various level participants: medical student (MS), junior resident (JR), senior resident (SR), and shoulder expert (SE). Thereafter, the 20 participants planned five cases of arthritic shoulders for a RSA on a validated planning software following three phases: (1) no guidelines and no ROM feedback, (2) guidelines but no ROM feedback, and (3) guidelines and ROM feedback. We evaluated the final simulated impingement-free ROM, the choice of the implant (baseplate size, graft, glenosphere), and the glenoid implant positioning.

RESULTS

MS planning were significantly improved by the ROM feedback only. JR took the best advantage of both guidelines and ROM in final results. SR planning were less performant than SE into phase 1 regarding flexion, external rotation, and adduction (respectively - 10°, p = 0.03; - 11°, p = 0.003; and - 3°, p = 0,03), but reached similar results into phase 3 (respectively - 2°, p = 0.329; - 4°, p = 0.44; - 2°, p = 0.319). For MS, JR, and SR, we observed a systematic improvement in the agreement over the study course. The glenoid diameter remained highly variable even for SE. Comparing glenoid implant position to SE, the distance error decreased with advancing phases.

CONCLUSION

Planning software can be used as a simulation training tool to improve implant positioning in shoulder arthroplasty procedures.

Prevalence of Shoulder Arthroplasty in the United States and the Increasing Burden of Revision Shoulder Arthroplasty

Existing data on the epidemiology of shoulder arthroplasty are limited to future projections of incidence. However, the prevalence of shoulder arthroplasty (the number of individuals with a shoulder arthroplasty alive at a certain time and its implications for the burden of revision procedures) remains undetermined for the United States. Hence, the purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of shoulder arthroplasty in the United States.