Shoulder arthroplasty after prior anterior stabilization procedures: do reverses have better outcomes?

BACKGROUND: Few studies have focused on shoulder arthroplasty after anterior stabilization procedures. This study compares the outcomes of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) after anterior stabilization surgical procedures.

METHODS: All primary shoulder arthroplasties from 2000 to 2014 with prior surgery were retrospectively reviewed from a prospective research database. The inclusion criteria were primary TSA or RTSA, a history of anterior stabilization surgery, and minimum 2-year follow-up. Soft-tissue and bony anterior stabilization procedures were included. We compared the following between TSA and RTSA patients: active range of motion (ROM) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index 130; Simple Shoulder Test; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES); Short Form 12; University of California, Los Angeles; and Constant scores. The RTSA group was also compared with an RTSA control group.

RESULTS: The study included 15 TSA and 10 RTSA patients with average follow-up periods of 3.3 and 4.0 years, respectively. RTSA patients experienced greater improvements in all ROMs except internal rotation; these were not statistically significant despite the mean values for RTSA being above the minimal clinically important difference compared with TSA for forward flexion and abduction. RTSA patients had better improvements in all functional outcomes; only the ASES score was statistically significant. TSA patients had a 33% complication rate and a 20% reoperation rate. RTSA patients had no complications or reoperations. The group that underwent RTSA with prior anterior stabilization surgery had similar improvements in ROM and outcome measures to the RTSA control group.

CONCLUSION: RTSA patients had better postoperative improvement in most ROMs and all functional scores; only the ASES score was statistically significant. This study suggests better outcomes with a lower complication rate with RTSA after prior anterior stabilization procedures compared with TSA.