Effectiveness of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for primary and secondary fracture care: mid-term outcomes in a single-centre experience

Great tuberosity fixation does not affect healing and clinical outcomes in RSA performed in proximal humeral fractures in elderly patients

PURPOSE

Aims of our study were to define whether the great tuberosity (GT) positioning fixation in reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) after proximal humeral fracture (PHF) could predict tuberosity healing and its impact on clinical outcomes.

METHODS

We enrolled 59 patients treated with cementless reverse shoulder arthroplasty after PHF in our institute between 2012 and 2018. The mean follow-up was 57 months (± 23.4). We divided patients into two groups according to GT positioning after fixation: Group 1 GT in contact and Group 2 GT detached at least 1 mm from humeral diaphysis. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were conducted at last follow-up.

RESULTS

Overall GT healing rate was 64.4%, (Group 1 70.7%-Group 2 50%). A statistically significant difference (P = 0.047) was found in cortical thickness narrowing at one-third of stem length. We found a correlation between lateral cortical narrowing and GT fixation in non-anatomical position, but we observed no statistically significant differences about GT healing according to GT anatomical or non-anatomical fixation. No differences were found in shoulder function in patients whose tuberosity was healed or failed to heal.

CONCLUSION

GT reduction is not a predictive factor for GT healing; external stress shielding, instead, seems to be decreased in patients with postoperative anatomically reduced GT. In our study, GT healing did not affect clinical outcomes or patient's satisfaction in elderly low-demanding patients.

Satisfactory Short-Term Outcomes of Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty for Complex Three- and Four-Part Fractures of the Humeral Head in Octogenarians

BACKGROUND

Proximal humeral fractures with severe comminution and poor bone quality are among the most common injuries in the elderly population. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has been widely used to manage complex three- and four-part humeral head fractures. The purpose of the present study was to report the result of this technique in the demanding population of octogenarians.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 Twenty-six patients above the age of 80 years were included in the study and followed for a minimum of one-year follow-up. To assess the functional outcomes the postoperative range of motion (ROM), the Constant score, the visual analog scale for pain, and the disability of the arm and shoulder score (DASH) were measured at 6 and 12 months. Radiological assessment and potential complications were also recorded.

RESULTS

The mean age of the study population was 81.9 years (81-86) at the time of surgery. There was a statistically significant improvement in all outcomes over the follow-up intervals. Shoulder ROM was 125.7o for flexion, 98.2o for abduction, 42.2o for internal rotation, and 43.2o for external rotation at 12 months. The mean Constant, DASH, and VAS scores at the last follow-up were 61.3, 31.9, and 0.5, respectively. Reported complications include one superficial surgical site infection.

CONCLUSION

RSA is a safe and reliable surgical option with satisfactory outcomes to manage complex three- and four-part fractures of the humeral head as it can provide prompt pain relief and function in octogenarians.

Comparison between osteonecrosis of the humeral and femoral heads - epidemiological analysis of the surgical trend using the nationwide claims database of the republic of Korea

BACKGROUNDS

The humeral head is the second most common site of osteonecrosis, after the femoral head. However, compared to osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), epidemiological information on osteonecrosis of the humeral head (ONHH) is scarce. We hypothesised that different biomechanical properties of the shoulder from the hip joint might present different epidemiological characteristics of ONHH from those of the ONFH. To evaluate epidemiological differences, we compared trends in the surgical treatment of ONHH and ONFH using the nationwide medical claims database of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

METHODS

We analysed epidemiological data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) database of the ROK between 2008 and 2018. HIRA database contains almost all medical information in an anonymised form, including demographics, diagnoses, and types of surgical procedures, generated through healthcare practices in ROK. The annual incidence rates of ONHH and ONFH were calculated based on the total number of the general population. Demographics, annual incidence, and the proportion of post-traumatic osteonecrosis and surgical procedures were compared according to the anatomical site and the affected year.

RESULTS

The total number of patients treated for ONHH and ONFH during the study period was 1,028 and 66,260, respectively. Although the incidence of ONHH increased, it is a relatively rare disease compared to ONFH. ONHH occurred more frequently in females, while ONFH occurred predominantly in male patients (p < 0.001). Surgical treatment for ONHH was most frequently performed in older patients (63.7%), whereas middle-aged patients had the largest proportion of ONFH (48.9%, p < 0.001). The proportion of post-traumatic osteonecrosis was significantly higher in the ONHH (5.1%) than in the ONFH (1.9%, p < 0.001). Arthroplasty was performed more frequently in the ONHH (96.0%) than in the ONFH (92.9%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Despite the anatomical similarities between the hip and shoulder joints, the different biomechanical properties, such as weight-bearing functions, might cause epidemiological differences between ONHH and ONFH.

How common is nerve injury after reverse shoulder arthroplasty? A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Nerve injury following reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is a known risk factor with wide ranging incidences reported. This systematic review evaluates the overall incidence of nerve injury following primary and revision RSA and summarizes the characteristics of the nerve injuries reported in the current literature.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed using separate database searches (Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane) following the PRISMA guidelines. Search criteria included the title terms "reverse shoulder," "reverse total shoulder," "inverted shoulder," and "inverted total shoulder" with publication dates ranging from 01/01/2010 to 01/01/2022. Studies that reported neurological injuries and complications were included and evaluated for primary RSA, revision RSA, number of nerve injuries, and which nerves were affected.

RESULTS

After exclusion, our systematic review consisted of 188 articles. A total of 40,146 patients were included, with 65% female. The weighted mean age was 70.3 years. The weighted mean follow-up was 35.4 months. The rate of nerve injury after RSA was 1.3% (510 of 40,146 RSAs). The rate of injury was greater in revision RSA compared to primary RSA (2.4% vs. 1.3%). Nerve injury was most common in RSAs done for a primary diagnosis of acute proximal humerus fracture (4.0%), followed by cuff tear arthropathy (3.0%), DJD (2.6%), and inflammatory arthritis (1.7%). Massive rotator cuff tears and post-traumatic arthritis cases had the lowest nerve injury rates (1.0% and 1.4%, respectively). The axillary nerve was the most commonly reported nerve that was injured in both primary and revision RSA (0.6%), followed by the ulnar nerve (0.26%) and median nerve (0.23%). Brachial plexus injury was reported in 0.19% of overall RSA cases.

CONCLUSION

Based on current English literature, nerve injuries occur at a rate of 1.3% after primary RSA compared with 2.4% after revision RSA. The most common nerve injury was to the axillary nerve (0.64%), with the most common operative diagnosis associated with nerve injury after RSA being acute proximal humerus fracture (4.0%). Surgeons should carefully counsel patients prior to surgery regarding the risk of nerve injury.

Patient outcomes after revision total shoulder arthroplasty in an inpatient vs. outpatient setting

BACKGROUND

Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is becoming an increasingly common surgical procedure for numerous shoulder conditions. The incidence of revision TSA is increasing because of the increase in primary TSA and the increased utilization of TSA in younger patients. Conducting revision TSA as an outpatient procedure would be beneficial in limiting expenditure and resource allocation but must show a similar complication profile compared to inpatient revision TSA in order to justify its clinical value. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcomes of outpatient revision TSA to inpatient revision TSA and outpatient primary TSA.

METHODS

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried from 2010-2019 to identify all patients who underwent revision TSA (n = 1456) in either an inpatient or outpatient setting, as well as patients who underwent primary TSA in an outpatient setting (n = 2630). Relevant demographic characteristics were compared between the outpatient revision group and both the inpatient revision and outpatient primary groups. Postoperative complications, readmission, and reoperation rates were also compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing inpatient revision TSA exhibited increased rates of preoperative hypertension (P = .013) and had increased prevalence of severe American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (P = .021) compared to patients undergoing outpatient revision TSA. Patients undergoing outpatient revision TSA were significantly more likely to experience complications (P < .001), have longer surgical times (P < .001), and undergo readmission (P = .006) and reoperation (P = .049) compared to patients undergoing outpatient primary TSA. There was no significant increase in rates of overall complication, readmission, or reoperation between patients undergoing revision TSA in an outpatient vs. an inpatient setting.

CONCLUSION

Outpatient revision TSA has higher complication rates, readmission, and reoperation rates compared to outpatient primary TSA, similar to previous findings when comparing revision and primary TSA done as an inpatient. However, there was no increased risk of complications, readmission, or reoperation for outpatient revision TSA compared to inpatient revision TSA. Outpatient revision TSA should be considered by orthopedic surgeons in patients who are medically healthy to undergo the procedure as an outpatient surgery.

The Evolution of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty and Its Current Use in the Treatment of Proximal Humerus Fractures in the Older Population

Proximal humerus fracture (PHF) is a common injury in the older population. While the majority of these fractures are treated non-operatively, a small subset of patients may benefit from surgical treatment. However, there continues to be an ongoing debate regarding the indications and ideal surgical treatment strategy. The use of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has resulted in a paradigm shift in the treatment of PHFs in the older population. Unique biomechanical principles and design features of RTSA make it a suitable treatment option for PHFs in the older population. RTSA has distinct advantages over hemiarthroplasty and internal fixation and provides good pain relief and a reliable and reproducible improvement in functional outcomes. As a result, there has been an exponential increase in the volume of RTSA in the older population in last decade. The aim of this paper is to review the current concepts, outcomes and controversies regarding the use of RTSA for the treatment of PHFs in the older population.

[Current trends in reverse fracture arthroplasty]

The reliable results of reverse arthroplasty have made this the preferred treatment method for non-reconstructable proximal humeral fractures. The individual consideration of the patient and the morphological features of the fractures are essential. Computed tomography (CT) images provide crucial information on the perfusion of the humeral head relevant for the prognosis and treatment. In this context a differentiation must be made between hard and soft criteria against a reconstruction. Tuberosities should be reduced whenever possible, because reverse arthroplasty with healed tuberosities provides a better range of motion and more strength for external rotation and anteversion, less complications and longer survival rates. In recent years the trend has been towards anatomical designs of prostheses with a humeral inclination of 135°. Revision rates for primary fracture prostheses are overall low with instability as the main reason for revision surgery, followed by periprosthetic fractures and infections. Reverse fracture arthroplasty has comparable or better clinical results compared to conservative treatment, osteosynthesis for geriatric patients, hemiarthroplasty and prosthesis implantation by elective surgery. Reverse arthroplasties, which were implanted in conditions of fracture sequelae, did not achieve significantly poorer clinical outcome at mid-term follow-up and can significantly improve shoulder function.

Cemented vs. uncemented reverse shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humeral fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this systematic review was to compare functional outcomes, complications, and revision rates between cemented and uncemented reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) for proximal humeral fractures (PHFs).

METHODS

A systematic search was performed in April 2021 within PubMed, Scopus Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for clinical studies reporting outcomes of RSA performed for PHF. Included studies were published in English, had a minimum 1-year follow-up, specified whether the humeral stem was cemented (cRSA) or uncemented (ucRSA), and were evidence level I-IV. Data including range of motion (ROM), functional status, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) score, Constant-Murley score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, tuberosity healing, complications, and reoperations were extracted. DerSimonian-Laird random effects models with subgroup stratification analyses were applied to investigate differences in outcomes between patients with cRSA and ucRSA.

RESULTS

A total of 45 studies comprising 1623 patients were included. The overall pooled age was 75.9 ± 3.4 years. At a mean follow-up of 34.6 (range, 12-108) months, there were no significant differences in ROM, VAS score, Constant-Murley score, rate of tuberosity healing, or reoperation rates between the cRSA and ucRSA cohorts. The mean postoperative ASES score in the cRSA cohort (73.9, 95% CI 71.4-76.5) was significantly lower than the ucRSA cohort (82.9, 95% CI 75.9-90.0, P = .013). The incidence of postoperative all-cause complications was significantly lower in the cRSA cohort (5.5%, 95% CI 4.0%-6.9%) compared with the ucRSA cohort (9.7%, 95% CI 4.5%-14.9%, P = .044).

CONCLUSION

The use of uncemented humeral stems in RSA for PHF confers similar functional results to the use of cemented stems in terms of pain, range of motion, functional scores, and tuberosity healing. Although the rate of complications was significantly higher in the uncemented cohort compared with the cemented cohort (9.7% vs. 5.5%, respectively), the rate of reoperations was similar between the groups (1.6% vs. 1.9%, respectively). The uncemented reverse prosthesis seems to be a valid alternative for the management of patients with complex proximal humerus fractures.