Background: The radiological phenomenon of subsidence following the implantation of uncemented short-stem reverse prostheses (USSP) has not yet been described. The purpose of this study was to describe the rate and potential risk factors for subsidence. We hypothesized that subsidence may be a frequent finding and that a subsidence of >5 mm (mm) is associated with an inferior clinical outcome. Methods: A total of 139 patients with an average age of 73 ± 9 years were included. The clinical and radiological outcome was evaluated at a minimum follow-up (FU) of 12 months. Results: No humeral component loosening was present at a mean FU of 18 (range, 12–51) months. Mean Constant Score (CS) and Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV) improved significantly from 34.3 ± 18.0 points and 37.0 ± 19.5% preoperatively to 72.2 ± 13.4 points and 80.3 ± 16.5% at final FU (p < 0.001). The average subsidence of the USSP was 1.4 ± 3.7 mm. Subsidence of >5 mm was present in 15 patients (11%). No association between a subsidence >5 mm and CS or SSV was found (p = 0.456, p = 0.527). However, a subsidence of >5 mm resulted in lower strength at final FU (p = 0.022). Complications occurred in six cases (4.2%), and the revision rate was 3.5% (five cases). Conclusions: Although subsidence of USSP is a frequent radiographic finding it is not associated with loosening of the component or a decrease in the clinical outcome at short term FU. Level of evidence: Level 4, retrospective study.
1 December 2021 in Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research
(1) Background: Postoperative recovery of external rotation after reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has been reported despite nonfunctional external rotator muscles. Thus, this study aimed to clinically determine the ideal prosthetic design allowing external rotation recovery in such a cohort. (2) Methods: A monocentric comparative study was retrospectively performed on patients who had primary RSA between June 2013 and February 2018 with a significant preoperative fatty infiltration of the infraspinatus and teres minor. Two groups were formed with patients with a lateral humerus/lateral glenoid 145° onlay RSA—the onlay group (OG), and a medial humerus/lateral glenoid 155° inlay RSA—the inlay group (IG). Patients were matched 1:1 by age, gender, indication, preoperative range of motion (ROM), and Constant score. The ROM and Constant scores were assessed preoperatively and at a minimum follow-up of two years. (3) Results: Forty-seven patients have been included (23 in OG and 24 in IG). Postoperative external rotation increased significantly in the OG only (p = 0.049), and its postoperative value was significantly greater than that of the IG by 11.1° (p = 0.028). (4) Conclusion: The use of a lateralized humeral stem with a low neck-shaft angle resulted in significantly improved external rotation compared to a medialized humeral 155° stem, even in cases of severe fatty infiltration of the infraspinatus and teres minor. Humeral lateralization and a low neck-shaft angle should be favored when planning an RSA in a patient without a functional posterior rotator cuff.
10 March 2023 in Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery