Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty After Prior Rotator Cuff Repair: A Matched Cohort Analysis.

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty for rotator cuff tears with and without prior failed rotator cuff repair: A large-scale comparative analysis

Outcomes of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) in patients with prior rotator cuff repair (RCR) remain inconsistent. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to systematically review the current outcomes literature on RSA in patients with prior RCR and to compare the results with controls without prior RCR. A systematic review of the literature was performed, and outcome studies reporting on functional and clinical outcomes were included. A total of 11 studies encompassing 2879 shoulders were included. Improvements in postoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from the baseline were higher in controls including the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (47.0 vs 39.5), Simple Shoulder Test (6.0 vs 4.9), Constant score (32.6 vs 26.4), and Visual Analog Scale for pain (-5.6 vs -4.9). Improvement in range of motion was greater in the control group, including external rotation (17° vs 11°), anterior elevation (56° vs 43°), and abduction (52° vs 43°). The overall complication rate (8% vs 5%) and revision rate (3% vs 1%) were higher in the RCR group. Differences in postoperative PROs and improvement from the baseline demonstrate a trend toward lower outcomes in patients with prior RCR but may be below the minimal clinically import difference. IV; systematic review.

What's New in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty performed for primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA) with an intact rotator cuff compared with rotator cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data including consecutive patients who underwent primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for GHOA or CTA with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Baseline patient demographics and clinical outcomes including active range of motion, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation, and visual analog scale for pain were collected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of preoperative diagnosis on clinical outcomes. Patients with a preoperative diagnosis of GHOA demonstrated significantly better postoperative active forward elevation (138.6° versus 127.3°; P < 0.01), external rotation (54.2° versus 43.8°; P < 0.01), and change in internal rotation (Δ 2.1 points versus Δ 1.2 points; P < 0.01). Patients with GHOA demonstrated significantly better postoperative ASES (86.8 versus 76.6; P < 0.01), Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (89.7 versus 78.5; P < 0.01), and visual analog scale scores (0.63 versus 1.2; P < 0.01). Minimal clinically important difference for ASES score was achieved by 97.5% of patients with GHOA compared with 86.7% of patients with CTA (P < 0.01), whereas substantial clinical benefit was achieved by 90.4% of patients with GHOA and 71.7% of patients with CTA (P < 0.01). After a multivariate linear regression analysis, postoperative ASES scores were independently associated with previous ipsilateral shoulder surgery (P = 0.042), preoperative ASES score (P = 0.01), and primary diagnosis of GHOA (P < 0.01). RTSA performed in patients with GHOA and an intact rotator cuff is associated with improved functional and clinical outcomes compared with those patients treated for CTA. Level III Therapeutic Study.

The purpose of this study was to compare the short- to mid-term outcomes of patients who underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) for severe glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA) with an intact rotator cuff (RC) to a matched rotator cuff arthropathy (RCA) cohort. Between 2004 and 2014, all patients who underwent RTSA for severe GHOA with a minimum 2-year follow-up were identified. Demographic and baseline variables were extracted from the medical records. Subjects were matched in the ratio of 1:2 to RTSA subjects with RCA, while controlling for the demographic and intraoperative variables. Postoperative active forward elevation (AFE), active external rotation, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Score (ASES), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Simple Shoulder Test were recorded. Complications and revision surgery rates were noted. Comparative multivariate analysis was performed. Preoperative Walch classification for each subject was obtained through radiograph review, and the impact of classification was assessed using one-way analysis of variance testing. One hundred thirty-six patients were available with mean follow-up 32.3 ± 12.3 months. Baseline range of motion and patient reported outcome scores were similar between the groups (P > 0.05), except for Simple Shoulder Test (intact rotator cuff: 5.7 ± 7.4 versus RCA: 2.4 ± 1.8, P = 0.037). The intact RC group had significantly, superior absolute outcome measures for active external rotation (P = 0.006), and SST (P = 0.048), but not for SANE (P = 0.055), VAS (P = 0.464), ASES (P = 0.084), and AFE (P = 0.099). No notable difference was observed between the groups for improvement in motion, survey scores, or complications. Walch osteoarthritis classification did not impact the outcome measurements in the severe GHOA with the intact RC group (P > 0.05). Patients who underwent RTSA for severe GHOA with intact RC demonstrate similar consistent improvement in outcomes to demographically similar patients with RCA. The severity of GHOA defined by the Walch classification did not impact the outcomes at the 2-year follow-up. Level III Therapeutic Study.

Indication matters: effect of indication on clinical outcome following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty—a multicenter study

Clinical outcomes of reverse shoulder arthroplasty and rotator cuff repair in patients with massive rotator cuff tears without osteoarthritis: comparison using propensity score matching.

Background: Long-term clinical and radiographic outcome data after standard cemented long-stem reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) remain underreported. The aim of this study is to report on medium- to long-term data of patients over 60 years of age. Methods: The same type of RSA (Aequalis Reverse II, Memphis, TN, USA) was implanted in 27 patients with a mean age of 73 years (range 61–84). Indications for RSA were cuff tear arthropathy (CTA) in 25 cases and osteoarthritis (OA) in two cases. Pre- and postoperative Constant Score was assessed and component loosening, polyethylene wear, scapular notching and revision rates were recorded at a mean clinical follow-up (FU) of 127.6 months (SD ± 33.7; range 83–185). Results: The mean-adjusted CS (aCS) improved from 30.0 (range 10–59) to 95.0 (range 33–141) points (p < 0.001). Glenoid loosening was found in two (9.1%) and stem loosening was found in three (13.6%) cases. Polyethylene wear was observed in four (18.2%) cases. Scapular notching appeared in 15 (68.2%) cases but was not associated with poor aCS (p = 0.423), high levels of pain (p = 0.798) or external rotation (p = 0.229). Revision surgery was necessary in three (11.1%) cases. Conclusions: RSA with a cemented standard long stem leads to improvement in forward elevation, abduction and pain after a mean FU of 10 years. However, external rotation does not improve with this prosthetic design. Moreover, scapular notching is observed in the majority of cases, and revision rates (11.1%) as well as humeral loosening rates (13.6%) remain a concern. Level of evidence: Level 4, retrospective cohort study.

Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty in Upper Extremity Ambulators: A Matched-Cohort Analysis.

Reverse polarity total shoulder arthroplasty is an innovation primarily designed to treat the rotator cuff-deficient shoulder by increasing constraint and thereby addressing the challenges of pseudoparalysis. Forward elevation can be regained, pain and quality of life can be improved. Recently, there has been an expansion in both the breadth of indications and the volume of surgeries performed. We aim to review current practice and direction of travel. The impact of rotator cuff tear arthropathy (CTA) is often significant and disabling. This condition is associated with painful arthrosis of the shoulder in conjunction with instability, which allows the humeral head to escape antero-superiorly. The resulting loss of function in the shoulder is aptly described as ‘pseudoparalysis’. Figure 1 shows the normal deltoid function around a shoulder with an intact soft-tissue envelope, and the superior migration that results when the superiorly directed force vector is not neutralised. Conventional anatomical arthroplasty of the shoulder fails to restore function in these patients due to the inadequate stability of the joint around a central point of pivot, combined with an inability of the surrounding muscles to compensate for a weak or torn rotator cuff. Fig. 1 Proximal migration in cuff tear arthropathy with resulting deltoid dysfunction- schematic This combination results in a complex and disabling condition that has vexed shoulder surgeons since the early days of development in shoulder arthroplasty systems. A better understanding of shoulder biomechanics and the mechanisms of failure in total shoulder arthroplasty led to the development of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) designs. While the original indication was CTA, there has been a rapid expansion of indications to include a spectrum of pathologies: proximal humeral fractures and trauma sequelae; massive cuff tears; tumours; primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA); and the revision of failed shoulder arthroplasties. Themistocles Gluck most likely developed a shoulder arthroplasty in the …

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA), once reserved for elderly low-demand patients, is increasingly used in younger adults despite concerns regarding complication rates and longevity. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate contemporary evidence on primary rTSA in patients aged ≤65 years. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, PubMed, Scopus, and CENTRAL databases were searched to October 2025. Studies reporting outcomes of primary rTSA in patients ≤65 years with ≥2 years of follow-up were included. Data on indications, functional outcomes, range of motion (ROM), patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), complications, revisions, and implant survival were recorded and synthesized. Subgroup analyses based on patients' age and comparisons with older rTSA cohorts were also performed. Thirteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Cuff tear arthropathy (27.29%), massive cuff tears (23.39%), and glenohumeral osteoarthritis (22.34%) accounted for most indications. rTSA resulted in significant improvements in ROM and all major PROMs. The overall complication rate was 14.23%, and the revision rate was 2.92%, with instability and infection responsible for 64.2% of revisions. Mid- to long-term implant survival exceeded 85%. When compared with older patients, younger adults demonstrated equivalent ROM outcomes. Concerning PROMs younger patients demonstrated inferior American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (mean difference [MD] = -6.43, P = .01), visual analog scale (MD = 0.93, P < .01), Constant score (MD = -4.98, P < .01), University of California Los Angeles (MD = -2.07, P < .01), and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (MD = 13.56, P < .01), whereas Simple Shoulder Test (MD = -0.7, P = .19) did not differ between the 2 groups. Moreover, younger patients presented a higher revision risk (risk ratio [RR] = 2.21, P < .01). Primary rTSA provides substantial and predictable improvements in pain and shoulder function among young adults, with acceptable early- to mid-term durability. Nevertheless, younger age remains associated with higher revision risk and modestly lower subjective outcomes, likely reflecting greater functional demands and post-operative expectations. These findings highlight the importance of nuanced surgical decision-making and patient counseling as rTSA use continues to expand in this demographic.

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty for postcapsulorrhaphy arthropathy results in similar clinical outcomes compared to glenohumeral osteoarthritis.

Complex rotator cuff tears provide a significant challenge for treating surgeons, given their high failure rate following repair and the associated morbidity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent biologically enhanced demineralized bone matrix augmentation of rotator cuff repairs. Twenty patients with complex rotator cuff tears underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by a single surgeon with demineralized bone matrix (DBM) augmentation that was biologically enhanced with platelet-rich plasma and concentrated bone marrow aspirate. Post-operative MRI was used to determine surgical success. Patient reported outcome measures and range of motion data were collected pre-operatively and at the final post-operative visit for each patient. Ten patients (50%) with DBM augmentation of their arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were deemed non-failures. The failure group had less improvement of visual analogue pain scale (p = 0.017), Simple Shoulder Test (p = 0.032), Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (p = 0.006) and abduction (p = 0.046). There was no difference between the groups for change in American Shoulder and Elbow Society score (p = 0.096), Constant-Murley score (p = 0.086), forward elevation (p = 0.191) or external rotation (p = 0.333). The present study found that 50% of patients who underwent biologically enhanced DBM augmentation of their rotator cuff repair demonstrated MRI-determined failure of supraspinatus healing.

Acromial bony adaptations in rotator cuff tear arthropathy facilitates acromial stress fracture following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

The use of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty has increased for the management of cuff-deficient glenohumeral joint arthritis and fractures. With bone preservation being a major target in reverse shoulder arthroplasty, metaphyseal humeral components without a stem were developed. The aim of this study is to present the survivorship, functional and radiological outcomes of a novel short metaphyseal prosthesis without a diaphyseal stem from an independent centre. Clinical function and radiological features of patients undergoing stemless reverse shoulder arthroplasty were prospectively recorded. Patients' demographics, indications for surgery, complications, functional and radiological assessment at the final follow-up as well as survivorship with the end point of revision for any reason were recorded. Between 2009 and 2016, 36 patients received 37 reverse shoulder arthroplasties with the stemless Verso prosthesis. Mean age of the patients was 76.9years. The most common indication for surgery was cuff tear arthropathy. Mean follow-up was 3years (range 1-7years). Oxford shoulder score improved from an average of 11 pre-operatively (range 2-19) to 44 post-operatively (range 29-48) (p < 0.0001). There was one case of a deep post-operative infection that needed washout, liner exchange with retention of the prosthesis. Radiographic analysis showed no lucencies, or stress shielding around the humeral or glenoid components. Constant score at the final follow-up was on average 63 (range 35-86). Activities of daily living with requirement for internal and external rotation score (ADLEIR) was on average 12 pre-operatively (range 0-27) and 31 post-operatively (range 18-36) (p < 0.0001). There was 100% survivorship of the prosthesis in this early to mid-term study. This early to mid-term prospective study demonstrates excellent survivorship and radiological results of the Versoreverse shoulder replacement. It needs a simple reproducible technique, and the results have been replicated at an independent centre. This study underlines its survivorship in the early to mid-term and confirms lower incidence of complications such as instability, notching, loosening and the need for revision surgery. Most importantly, it conserves the humeral bone stock for revision arthroplasties in the future. Our results are similar to those of the currently published literature.