Mark A. Frankle

The reverse shoulder prosthesis for glenohumeral arthritis associated with severe rotator cuff deficiency. a minimum two-year follow-up study of sixty patients surgical technique.

BACKGROUND Patients who have pain and dysfunction from glenohumeral arthritis associated with severe rotator cuff deficiency have few treatment options. The goal of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the short-term results of arthroplasty with use of the Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis in the management of this problem. METHODS We report the results for sixty patients (sixty shoulders) with a rotator cuff deficiency and glenohumeral arthritis who were followed for a minimum of two years. Thirty-five patients had no previous shoulder surgery, whereas twenty-three had had either an open or arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, one had had a subacromial decompression, and one had had a biceps tendon repair. All patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scoring system for pain and function and with visual analog scales for pain and function. They were also asked to rate their satisfaction with the outcome. The shoulder range of motion was measured preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS The average age of the patients was seventy-one years. The average duration of follow-up was thirty-three months. All measures improved significantly (p < 0.0001). The mean total score on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons system improved from 34.3 to 68.2; the mean function score, from 16.1 to 29.4; and the mean pain score, from 18.2 to 38.7. The score for function on the visual analog scale improved from 2.7 to 6.0, and the score for pain on the visual analog scale improved from 6.3 to 2.2. Forward flexion increased from 55.0 degrees to 105.1 degrees , and abduction increased from 41.4 degrees to 101.8 degrees . Forty-one of the sixty patients rated the outcome as good or excellent; sixteen were satisfied, and three were dissatisfied. There were a total of thirteen complications in ten patients (17%). Seven patients (12%) had eight failures, requiring revision surgery to another Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis in five patients (one shoulder had two revisions) and revision to a hemiarthroplasty in two patients because of deep infection. CONCLUSIONS The data from this study suggest that arthroplasty with the Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis may be a viable treatment for patients with glenohumeral arthritis and a massive rotator cuff tear. However, future studies will be necessary to determine the longevity of the implant and whether it will provide continued improvement in function.

The Use of the Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis for the Treatment of Failed Hemiarthroplasty for Proximal Humeral Fracture

BACKGROUND Humeral hemiarthroplasty is an established treatment for patients with selected fractures of the proximal part of the humerus. However, a subset of patients have development of glenoid arthritis and rotator cuff deficiency due to tuberosity failure. To date, there has been no reliable salvage procedure for this problem. METHODS Over a period of five years, twenty-nine patients (twenty-five women and four men) with a mean age of sixty-nine years (range, forty-two to eighty years) were managed with removal of a hemiarthroplasty prosthesis and revision with a Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis alone or in combination with a proximal humeral allograft. Patients were followed clinically and radiographically for an average of thirty-five months. All patients were evaluated with use of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score; the Simple Shoulder Test; range-of-motion measurements, including abduction, forward flexion, and external rotation; and a rating scale for overall satisfaction with the outcome of the surgery. Patients were assessed preoperatively and at all follow-up points beginning at three months postoperatively. RESULTS The average total American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score improved from 22.3 preoperatively to 52.1 at the time of the last follow-up (p < 0.001). The average American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons pain score improved from 12.2 to 34.4 (p < 0.001), and the average American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons function score improved from 10.1 to 17.7 (p = 0.058). The average Simple Shoulder Test score improved from 0.9 to 2.6 (p = 0.004). Forward flexion improved from 38.1 degrees to 72.7 degrees (p < 0.001), and abduction improved from 34.1 degrees to 70.4 degrees (p < 0.001). The overall complication rate was 28% (eight of twenty-nine). At the time of the latest follow-up, sixteen patients rated the outcome as good or excellent, seven rated it as satisfactory, and six were dissatisfied. Four of the six patients who were dissatisfied had been managed with a Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis alone. CONCLUSIONS The Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis offers a salvage-type solution to the problem of failed hemiarthroplasty due to glenoid arthritis and rotator cuff deficiency following tuberosity failure. The early results reported here are promising. In cases of severe proximal humeral bone deficiency, augmentation of the Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis with a proximal humeral allograft may improve patient satisfaction.

Use of the reverse shoulder prosthesis for the treatment of failed hemiarthroplasty in patients with glenohumeral arthritis and rotator cuff deficiency

We report the use of the reverse shoulder prosthesis in the revision of a failed shoulder hemiarthroplasty in 19 shoulders in 18 patients (7 men, 11 women) with severe pain and loss of function. The primary procedure had been undertaken for glenohumeral arthritis associated with severe rotator cuff deficiency. Statistically significant improvements were seen in pain and functional outcome. After a mean follow-up of 44 months (24 to 89), mean forward flexion improved by 26.4 degrees and mean abduction improved by 35 degrees . There were six prosthesis-related complications in six shoulders (32%), five of which had severe bone loss of the glenoid, proximal humerus or both. Three shoulders (16%) had non-prosthesis related complications. The use of the reverse shoulder prosthesis provides improvement in pain and function for patients with failure of a hemiarthroplasty for glenohumeral arthritis and rotator cuff deficiency. However, high rates of complications were associated with glenoid and proximal humeral bone loss.

Evaluation of abduction range of motion and avoidance of inferior scapular impingement in a reverse shoulder model.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of prosthetic design and surgical technique of reverse shoulder implants on total abduction range of motion and impingement on the inferior scapular neck. Custom implants in three glenosphere diameters (30, 36, and 42 mm), with 3 different centers of rotation offsets (0, +5, and +10 mm), were placed into a Sawbones scapula (Pacific Research Laboratories, Vashon, WA) in 3 different positions: superior, center, and inferior glenoid. Humeral sockets were manufactured with a 130 degrees , 150 degrees , and 170 degrees neck-shaft angle. Four independent factors (glenosphere diameter, center of rotation offset, glenosphere position on the glenoid, and humeral neck-shaft angle) were compared with the 2 dependent factors of range of motion and inferior scapular impingement. Center of rotation offset had the largest effect on range of motion, followed by glenosphere position. Neck-shaft angle had the largest effect on inferior scapular impingement, followed by glenosphere position. This information may be useful to the surgeon when deciding on the appropriate reverse implant.

The treatment of deep shoulder infection and glenohumeral instability with debridement, reverse shoulder arthroplasty and postoperative antibiotics

We retrospectively reviewed 21 patients (22 shoulders) who presented with deep infection after surgery to the shoulder, 17 having previously undergone hemiarthroplasty and five open repair of the rotator cuff. Nine shoulders had undergone previous surgical attempts to eradicate their infection. The diagnosis of infection was based on a combination of clinical suspicion (16 shoulders), positive frozen sections (> 5 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per high-power field) at the time of revision (15 shoulders), positive intra-operative cultures (18 shoulders) or the pre-operative radiological appearances. The patients were treated by an extensive debridement, intravenous antibiotics, and conversion to a reverse shoulder prosthesis in either a single- (10 shoulders) or a two-stage (12 shoulders) procedure. At a mean follow-up of 43 months (25 to 66) there was no evidence of recurrent infection. All outcome measures showed statistically significant improvements. Mean abduction improved from 36.1 degrees (sd 27.8) pre-operatively to 75.7 degrees (sd 36.0) (p < 0.0001), the mean forward flexion from 43.1 degrees (sd 33.5) to 79.5 degrees (sd 43.2) (p = 0.0003), and mean external rotation from 10.2 degrees (sd 18.7) to 25.4 degrees (sd 23.5) (p = 0.0037). There was no statistically significant difference in any outcome between the single-stage and the two-stage group.

Corrective Osteotomy for Deformity in Paget Disease

Background: Severe deformity resulting from Paget disease is not uncommon. Malalignment of the extremity may lead to intractable pain, mechanical overload of the neighboring joints, limitation of motion and function, and dysmorphic appearance. Although corrective osteotomy has been used to treat osseous deformities, the outcome of corrective osteotomy for long-bone deformities resulting from Paget disease remains largely unknown.Methods: The results after twenty-five corrective osteotomies (twenty-two patients), performed between 1975 and 1995, in sixteen tibiae, eight femora, and one radius were evaluated. There were thirteen men and nine women with a mean age of sixty-seven years. The indication for osteotomy was pain in twenty limbs, recurrent stress fractures in three, and limitation of function in two. A variety of osteotomies and fixation methods were used. Two patients underwent simultaneous total hip arthroplasty and proximal femoral osteotomy.Results: Twenty-three of twenty-five osteotomies healed with an average time to union of six months. Both nonunions were in patients who had been managed with intramedullary fixation. The time to union was significantly shorter in metaphyseal osteotomies fixed with plates than in diaphyseal osteotomies (p < 0.04). There was a substantial improvement in the deformities. Satisfaction was rated excellent or good by fourteen patients, fair by six, and poor by two. Complications included a pin-track infection in two patients, peroneal nerve palsy in one, and loss of fixation following external fixation in one. Disease activity, as measured by serum alkaline phosphatase level, and medical treatment with calcitonin and/or bisphosphonates did not have a significant impact on time to union.Conclusions: Corrective osteotomy for the treatment of severe deformity in Paget disease can be challenging and yet rewarding. A higher prevalence of complications was observed following intramedullary nailing and external fixation. Fracture-healing seems to be particularly protracted in diaphyseal osteotomies.Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level IV (case series [no, or historical, control group]). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Biomechanics of the Clavicle

The clavicle is an S-shaped bone that acts as the only osseous link between the upper extremity skeleton and the thorax. It serves as a solid strut to position the upper limb away from the trunk and enhance more global positioning and use of the limb. When this strut is fractured and either left untreated or not repaired adequately, clavicular malunion can occur. The subsequent shortening of the clavicle decreases the moment-generating capacity of the upper extremity and results in impaired mobility. Preserving the length and anatomy of the clavicle is therefore very important in maintaining optimal function of the upper extremity. This chapter should help the surgeon be more cognizant of the clavicle biomechanics involved during arm motion and will hopefully help to guide the surgeon in the type of implant they should use.

DJO Surgical Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis (RSP

Due to shortcomings of the reverse shoulder prosthetics of the time, the DJO Reverse™ Shoulder Prosthesis (RSP) was designed to create a more anatomic alignment of the shoulder and reduce the complications associated with the Grammont design. The main features of the prosthesis are its lateral center of rotation and its central lag screw, providing a more anatomic center of rotation and a more compressive force, respectively. The humeral component offers both cemented and press-fit options that provide a better mechanical environment for the rotator cuff to assist with shoulder motion. Outcomes for the RSP show consistent postoperative improvement as well as low complication rates in the modern design. The use of the RSP with proper surgical technique can result in predictably good outcomes.