Abstract
Since its description by Paul Grammont from Dijon, France, several tens of thousands of reverse total shoulder arthroplasties (RTSA) have been performed for diverse conditions. The purpose of this analysis is to identify the complications of this procedure in the literature and in clinical practice. A total of 240 papers concerning RTSA published between 1996 and 2012 have been identified. Over 80 papers describe complications associated with this type of implant. A list of prostheses satisfying European and US standards, CE and FDA approved, has been produced on the basis of information provided by the manufacturers. Data from the literature do not support a meta-analysis. The inventory of best practices shows excellent results in the short and medium term in specific indications, while the number of complications varies between 10 and 65 % in long-term series. Complications can be classified into (A) non-specific including infections (superficial and deep), phlebitis, haematoma, neurological complications of the suprascapular, radial and axillary nerves and (B) specific complications associated with RTSA including (1) on the glenoid side: intraoperative fracture of the glenoid and acromion, late fracture of the scapula, impingement at the scapular neck (notching), glenoid loosening, dissociation of the glenoid component (snatching of the glenosphere) and fractures of the glenoid baseplate; (2) on the humeral side: metaphyseal deterioration, humeral loosening, instability of the shoulder, stiffness with limitation of external and/or internal rotation; and (3) muscular complications with fatty degeneration of the deltoid. Additionally we have identified specific situations related to the type of implant such as the disassembly of the humeral or the glenoid component, dissociation of the polyethylene humeral plate, dissociation of the metaphysis and osteolysis of the tuberosities. The integration of results from different clinical series is difficult because of the lack of a database and the multitude of implants used.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baulot E, Garron E, Grammont PM (1999) Grammont prosthesis in humeral head osteonecrosis. Indications—results. Acta Orthop Belg 65(Suppl 1):109–115
Rockwood CA Jr (2007) The reverse total shoulder prosthesis. The new kid on the block. J Bone Joint Surg 89(2):233–235
Sirveaux F, Favard L, Oudet D et al (2004) Grammont inverted total shoulder arthroplasty in the treatment of glenohumeral osteoarthritis with massive rupture of the cuff. Results of a multicentre study of 80 shoulders. J Bone Joint Surg Br 86(3):388–395
Seebauer L, Walter W, Keyl W (2005) Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of defect arthropathy. Oper Orthop Traumatol 17(1):1–24
Rittmeister M, Kerschbaumer F (2001) Grammont reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and nonreconstructible rotator cuff lesions. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 10(1):17–22
Laudicina L, D’Ambrosia R (2005) Management of irreparable rotator cuff tears and glenohumeral arthritis. Orthopedics 28(4):382–388
Frankle M, Siegal S, Pupello D et al (2005) The Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis for glenohumeral arthritis associated with severe rotator cuff deficiency. A minimum two-year follow-up study of sixty patients. J Bone Joint Surg 87(8):1697–1705
Cuff D, Pupello D, Virani N et al (2008) Reverse shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of rotator cuff deficiency. J Bone Joint Surg 90(6):1244–1251
Boileau P, Watkinson D, Hatzidakis AM et al (2006) Neer Award 2005: The Grammont reverse shoulder prosthesis: results in cuff tear arthritis, fracture sequelae, and revision arthroplasty. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 15(5):527–540
Ekelund A, Nyberg R (2011) Can reverse shoulder arthroplasty be used with few complications in rheumatoid arthritis? Clin Orthop Relat Res 469(9):2483–2488
Drignei M, Scarlat MM (2009) Treatment of chronic dislocations of the shoulder by reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: a clinical study of six cases. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 19(8):541–546
De Wilde L, Boileau P, Van der Bracht H (2011) Does reverse shoulder arthroplasty for tumors of the proximal humerus reduce impairment? Clin Orthop Relat Res 469(9):2489–2495
Dieckmann R, Liem D, Gosheger G et al (2013) Evaluation of a reconstruction reverse shoulder for tumour surgery and tribological comparison with an anatomical shoulder arthroplasty. Int Orthop. doi:10.1007/s00264-012-1771-7
Austin L, Zmistowski B, Chang ES et al (2011) Is reverse shoulder arthroplasty a reasonable alternative for revision arthroplasty? Clin Orthop Relat Res 469(9):2531–2537
Elhassan B, Ozbaydar M, Higgins LD et al (2008) Glenoid reconstruction in revision shoulder arthroplasty. Clin Orthop Relat Res 466(3):599–607
Flury MP, Frey P, Goldhahn J et al (2011) Reverse shoulder arthroplasty as a salvage procedure for failed conventional shoulder replacement due to cuff failure-midterm results. Int Orthop 35(1):53–60
Gohlke F, Rolf O (2007) Revision of failed fracture hemiarthroplasties to reverse total shoulder prosthesis through the transhumeral approach: method incorporating a pectoralis-major-pedicled bone window. Oper Orthop Traumatol 19(2):185–208
Levy J, Frankle M, Mighell M et al (2007) The use of the reverse shoulder prosthesis for the treatment of failed hemiarthroplasty for proximal humeral fracture. J Bone Joint Surg 89(2):292–300
Walker M, Willis MP, Brooks JP et al (2012) The use of the reverse shoulder arthroplasty for treatment of failed total shoulder arthroplasty. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 21(4):514–522. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2011.03.006
Cazeneuve JF, Cristofari DJ (2009) Delta III reverse shoulder arthroplasty: radiological outcome for acute complex fractures of the proximal humerus in elderly patients. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res 95(5):325–329
Martin TG, Iannotti JP (2008) Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for acute fractures and failed management after proximal humeral fractures. Orthop Clin North Am 39(4):451–457
Young SW, Everts NM, Ball CM et al (2009) The SMR reverse shoulder prosthesis in the treatment of cuff-deficient shoulder conditions. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 18(4):622–626
Vanhove B, Beugnies A (2004) Grammont’s reverse shoulder prosthesis for rotator cuff arthropathy. A retrospective study of 32 cases. Acta Orthop Belg 70(3):219–225
Guery J, Favard L, Sirveaux F et al (2006) Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Survivorship analysis of eighty replacements followed for five to ten years. J Bone Joint Surg 88(8):1742–1747
Grassi FA, Murena L, Valli F et al (2009) Six-year experience with the Delta III reverse shoulder prosthesis. J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong) 17(2):151–156
Sanchez-Sotelo J (2009) Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Clin Anat 22(2):172–182
Kasten P, Maier M, Rettig O et al (2009) Proprioception in total, hemi- and reverse shoulder arthroplasty in 3D motion analyses: a prospective study. Int Orthop 33(6):1641–1647
Levy JC, Virani N, Pupello D et al (2007) Use of the reverse shoulder prosthesis for the treatment of failed hemiarthroplasty in patients with glenohumeral arthritis and rotator cuff deficiency. J Bone Joint Surg Br 89(2):189–195
Ortmaier R, Resch H, Matis N et al (2013) Reverse shoulder arthroplasty in revision of failed shoulder arthroplasty-outcome and follow-up. Int Orthop 37(1):67–75
Levigne C, Boileau P, Favard L et al (2008) Scapular notching in reverse shoulder arthroplasty. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 17(6):925–935
Kempton LB, Ankerson E, Wiater JM (2011) A complication-based learning curve from 200 reverse shoulder arthroplasties. Clin Orthop Relat Res 469(9):2496–2504
Zavala JA, Clark JC, Kissenberth MJ et al (2012) Management of deep infection after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: a case series. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 21(10):1310–1315
Lädermann A, Lübbeke A, Mélis B et al (2011) Prevalence of neurologic lesions after total shoulder arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg 93(14):1288–1293
Dines JS, Fealy S, Strauss EJ et al (2006) Outcomes analysis of revision total shoulder replacement. J Bone Joint Surg 88(7):1494–1500
Molé D, Favard L (2007) Excentered scapulohumeral osteoarthritis. Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot 93(Suppl 6):37–94
Samuelson EM, Cordero GX, Fehringer EV (2009) Fracture of a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty retentive liner. Orthopedics 32(3):211
Farshad M, Gerber C (2010) Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty-from the most to the least common complication. Int Orthop 34(8):1075–1082
De Wilde L, Walch G (2006) Humeral prosthetic failure of reversed total shoulder arthroplasty: a report of three cases. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 15(2):260–264
Clark JC, Ritchie J, Song FS et al (2012) Complication rates, dislocation, pain, and postoperative range of motion after reverse shoulder arthroplasty in patients with and without repair of the subscapularis. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 21(1):36–41
Cheung E, Willis M, Walker M et al (2011) Complications in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 19(7):439–449
Affonso J, Nicholson GP, Frankle MA et al (2012) Complications of the reverse prosthesis: prevention and treatment. Instr Course Lect 61:157–168
Gallo RA, Gamradt SC, Mattern CJ et al (2011) Instability after reverse total shoulder replacement. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 20(4):584–590
Dedy NJ, Stangenberg M, Liem D et al (2011) Effect of posterior offset humeral components on range of motion in reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Int Orthop 35(4):549–554
Mizuno N, Denard PJ, Raiss P et al (2012) The clinical and radiographical results of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with eccentric glenosphere. Int Orthop 36(8):1647–1653
Middernacht B, De Wilde L, Molé D et al (2008) Glenosphere disengagement: a potentially serious default in reverse shoulder surgery. Clin Orthop Relat Res 466(4):892–898
Crosby LA, Hamilton A, Twiss T (2011) Scapula fractures after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: classification and treatment. Clin Orthop Relat Res 469(9):2544–2549
Walch G, Mottier F, Wall B et al (2009) Acromial insufficiency in reverse shoulder arthroplasties. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 18(3):495–502
Roche CP, Stroud NJ, Martin BL et al (2013) The impact of scapular notching on reverse shoulder glenoid fixation. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2012.10.035
Wierks C, Skolasky RL, Ji JH et al (2009) Reverse total shoulder replacement: intraoperative and early postoperative complications. Clin Orthop Relat Res 467(1):225–234
Kalouche I, Sevivas N, Wahegaonker A et al (2009) Reverse shoulder arthroplasty: does reduced medialisation improve radiological and clinical results? Acta Orthop Belg 75(2):158–166
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Scarlat, M.M. Complications with reverse total shoulder arthroplasty and recent evolutions. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 37, 843–851 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1832-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1832-6