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Reverse shoulder arthroplasty in older patients: is it worth it? A subjective functional outcome and quality of life survey

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Abstract

Background

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) use has largely spread in the last decade. Doubts still exist, however, about its use in the elder population, because of high risk of complications and possibly limited cost-efficiency of the procedure.

Aims

Our work was aimed at defining the subjective outcome, complication and satisfaction rate, and perceived recovery of individual autonomy and quality of life after RSA, in a cohort of patients 79 or more years old at the time of surgery.

Methods

Between 2007 and 2012, 52 patients 79 years old or older received a RSA. In the setting of this study, 27 patients (31 shoulders) were available for clinical evaluation. The ASES score was used for subjective outcome evaluation, while the health-related quality of life was studied with the SF-12 form. An ad hoc questionnaire was used in order to evaluate the satisfaction rate and the recovery in individual autonomy.

Results

At 59,3 months mean follow-up, only one patient required revision due to periprosthetic fracture. ASES score attested at 78.2, and SF-12 scores showed values similar to the general age-matched population. Sensible improvement in perceived quality of life was described by 24 patients. When present, comorbidities were associated with lower results.

Discussion

RSA outcomes in the elderly are good in terms of function, satisfaction and quality of life recovery. Complications appear primarily linked to age-related conditions and comorbidities show critical association with lower results.

Conclusions

Our study confirms that RSA represents a useful solution for end-stage shoulder disease also in the advanced age population.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Prof. Patrizio Odetti (Dept. of Geriatrics and Gerontology, University of Genova) for critically reading the manuscript and for his precious suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shoulder Surgery Unit, GSL, Gruppo Sanitario Ligure c/o Ospedale S.M. di Misericordia, Viale Martiri della Foce, n. 40, 17031, Albenga, SV, Italy

    T. Mangano & N. Ivaldo

  2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy

    P. Cerruti, I. Repetto, L. Felli & M. Giovale

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  1. T. Mangano
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  2. P. Cerruti
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  3. I. Repetto
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  4. L. Felli
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  5. N. Ivaldo
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  6. M. Giovale
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Mangano.

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Conflict of interest

N.I. is a consultant for DePuy-Synthes. T.M., P.C., I.R., L.F. and M.G., their immediate family and any research foundation with which they are affiliated have not received any financial payments or other benefits from any commercial entity related to the subject of this article. The authors state that they have full control of all primary data and that they agree to allow the journal to review their data if requested.

Ethical approval

The Regional Ethical Committee was made aware of this work and of the submission of our data for publication, and gave formal approval. The study received the registration number 128/2014. All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and its later amendments.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all patients included in the study.

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Mangano, T., Cerruti, P., Repetto, I. et al. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty in older patients: is it worth it? A subjective functional outcome and quality of life survey. Aging Clin Exp Res 28, 925–933 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-015-0493-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-015-0493-2

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