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Background: The most common treatment approach in periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and chronic shoulder joint infection (SJI) is a two-stage revision involving interval placement of an antibiotic cement spacer or a resection arthroplasty. Knowing that Pyrocarbon has a smooth surface that prevents pathogen adhesion, the question arises whether it could be used as a temporary or permanent functional spacer? Purpose: The primary objective of the present study was to assess the rate of infection eradication after temporary or definitive implantation of Pyrocarbon Interposition Shoulder Arthroplasty (PISA) in patients with recalcitrant PJI or SJI. Our secondary objective was to assess mid-term clinical and radiographic outcomes. Methods: Fifteen patients (mean age: 52 ± 19 years) with chronic shoulder infection underwent, after joint débridement, implantation of PISA (InSpyre; Tornier-Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI, USA) with tailored perioperative antibiotics. In 7 cases, PJI occurred after hemiarthroplasty (n = 2), reverse shoulder arthroplasty (n = 2), hemireverse (n = 2), and resurfacing arthroplasty (n = 1). In 8 cases, SJI occurred in the context of failed surgery after fracture sequelae (n = 4), instability (n = 2), and cuff arthropathy (n = 2). Preoperatively, patients had a mean of 3 previous failed surgeries before PISA implantation. Patients were evaluated with clinical, laboratory, and radiographic assessment at a minimum of 2 years after surgery. Results: At a mean follow-up of 55 ± 18 months, no patient experienced reinfection after temporary (3 cases) or definitive (12 cases) PISA implantation. The adjusted Constant score increased from 33% ± 20 preoperatively to 65% ± 28 at last follow-up and SSV from 22% ± 19 to 63% ± 23 (P

Background: In vitro data demonstrate the potential benefits of the pyrocarbon as a bearing material against cartilage or bone. And pyrocarbon-free interposition arthroplasty has been used with positive outcomes for over 10 years for hand and wrist joint replacements. This study reports the midterm results of a Pyrocarbon Interposition Shoulder Arthroplasty (PISA) in primary and secondary glenohumeral osteoarthritis and in avascular osteonecrosis. Methods: This prospective noncontrolled, multicenter study included 67 consecutive patients who underwent PISA in France and Sweden. Results: A cohort of 48 patients, aged 50 ± 12 years, was available for clinical assessment at a mean follow-up of 67.6 ± 9.3 months. A favorable change was reported with a mean absolute Constant score improvement of 32 ± 20 points. The highest Constant score improvement was observed in patients with avascular osteonecrosis (42 ± 18 points; P ≤ .0001). Between the earliest and the latest follow-up, radiographic analyses revealed only 2 major glenoid erosions and 4 tuberosity thinnings and thus that 86.4% of 44 shoulders remained stable with no or minor radiologic evolutions. The survival rate was 84 % at 65 months of follow-up considering all causes of revision. Conclusion: The radiographic findings seem to confirm the interest of pyrocarbon in preserving bony surfaces. But the risk of tuberosity thinning suggests considering the use of PISA with caution in most degenerative glenohumeral joint pathologies, although the midterm outcomes highlight PISA as a suitable solution for patients presenting with posttraumatic osteonecrosis without malunion of the tuberosities and with an intact rotator cuff.

Background: The Neer classification is among the most widely used systems to describe proximal humerus fractures (PHF) despite the poor interobserver agreement. The purpose of this study was to verify whether or not blinded shoulder surgeons and trainees agree with the authors of articles published in the highest impact-factor orthopedic journals. Methods: All articles regarding PHF published between 2017 and 2019 in the top 10 orthopedic journals as rated by impact factor were searched. Articles were included if the authors used the Neer classification to describe at least 1 PHF in the figures. Figures were extracted without the legend, and X-rays ± computed tomography scan images were included when available. An international survey was conducted among 138 shoulder surgeons who were asked to record the Neer classification for each de-identified radiograph in the publications. The type of fracture mentioned in the legend of the published figure was considered as the gold standard. Results: Survey participants agreed with the published article authors in 55% of cases overall (range 6%-96%, n = 35). The most common response disagreed with the article authors in 13 cases (37%), underestimating the number of parts in 11 of 13 cases. The interobserver agreement between the 138 responders was fair (k = 0.296). There was an association between the percentage of concordant answers and greater experience (number of years of shoulder surgery practice) of the responders (P = .0023). The number of parts, the number or type of available imaging modalities, and the geographic origin of participants did not influence the agreement between responders and authors. Discussion: In more than one-third of cases, specialized shoulder surgeons disagree with article authors when interpreting the Neer classification of de-identified images of PHF in published manuscripts. Morphologic classification of PHF as the sole basis for treatment algorithms and surgical success should be scrutinized.