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Background: Despite the increasing numbers of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) procedures, the long-term results have been rarely reported. We previously reported early outcomes of a cohort of patients treated with a Grammont-style RTSA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes after a minimum of 10 years, and to document prosthetic survival and complications.Methods: Clinical outcome assessment was based on the absolute and relative Constant scores and the active range of motion. Radiographic evaluations of scapular notching, tuberosity osteolysis, and periprosthetic radiolucent lines were done as well. Complications and revisions were compiled, and a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed.Results: The original report included the outcomes for 186 patients (191 RTSAs) who had been followed for a mean of 40 months. In the present study, in which the mean duration of follow-up was 150 months, follow-up clinical evaluations were available for 84 patients (87 prostheses) and radiographic assessments were available for 64 patients (67 prostheses). Seventy-seven patients (79 prostheses) had died before the 10-year follow-up, and 17 patients (17 prostheses) had been lost to follow-up. The mean absolute and relative Constant scores (and standard deviations) were 55 ± 16 points and 86 ± 26 points, respectively, with both having decreased significantly compared with the scores at the medium-term follow-up evaluation (at a minimum of 2 years) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.025, respectively). Forty-nine shoulders (73%) exhibited scapular notching. Forty-seven complications (29%) were recorded, with 10 cases (10%) occurring after 2 years. Sixteen (12%) of the original patients underwent revision surgery. The 10-year overall prosthetic survival rate using revision as the end point was 93%.Conclusions: Despite a high arthroplasty survival rate and good long-term clinical results, RTSA outcomes showed deterioration when compared with medium-term results. The cause of this decrease is probably related to patient aging coupled with bone erosion and/or deltoid impairment over time.Level Of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The deltopectoral approach is a common surgical procedure for shoulder arthroplasty. Many surgeons are familiar with this procedure, but certain steps are still controversial. This is the case for the management of subscapularis, where surgeons must choose between tenotomy and the lesser tuberosity osteotomy. Methods: This article is conceived as a toolkit for the inexperienced surgeons, describing our tips and tricks to facilitate final exposure of the glenoid. For experienced surgeons, we analysed the tricky portions of the deltopectoral approach, comparing them with what is classically reported in the literature. Results: We describe an original technic for subscapularis reattachment after lesser tuberosity osteotomy in order to improve its stability. The medial part of the fragment is secondarily sculpted to obtain a step shape, which will be applied against the base of the prosthetic cup in a sort of 'corner buttress'. Conclusions: Our work, based on our personal experience, confirms that there is no preferred single deltopectoral approach but, rather, multiple options. When embarking on this 'shoulder highway', we encourage surgeons to respect the successive anatomic planes, which we believe is the only way to ensure easy and atraumatic dissection. Key points: - The safe plane for going around the humeral head and positioning retractors is the plane of the subacromial deltoid bursa. - Always stay close to the bone during capsule release, whether on the humeral or glenoid side. - Never go medially to the conjoint tendon or its deep face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The goal of this study was to compare 2 consecutive series of 240 reverse total shoulder arthroplasties (TSA) in order to evaluate if the increase in surgeon experience modified the indications, clinical and radiographic results, and rate of complications. Material and methods: Two hundred forty reverse TSA performed between July 2003 and March 2007 were clinically and radiographically evaluated by an independent examiner with a minimum follow-up of 2 years and compared with a previous published study (240 cases implanted by the same 2 surgeons between May 1995 and June 2003). Results: The main etiology remained cuff tear arthropathy with an increase noted between the 2 studies. The rate of revision arthroplasty as an etiology decreased from 22.5% to 9.1%. Conversely, the rate of rheumatoid arthritis increased from 0.4% to 6.3%. The average postoperative Constant score was significantly better than the first series (66.9 vs 59.7, P < .001). The postoperative complication rate decreased with increased experience (from 19% to 10.8%), with dislocations reducing (from 7% to 3.2%), and infections reducing (from 4% to 0.9%). However, the number of nerve palsies increased. The revision rate decreased from 7.5% to 5%. The rate of glenoid notching remained stable, but the severity of notching decreased. Conclusion: Experience did not lead us to operate on younger patients, but significantly modified patient selection, results, and complications. Increased experience with the reverse shoulder arthroplasty did not reduce the rate of glenoid notching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) can improve anterior active elevation (AAE) by lengthening of the deltoid and hence increasing its lever arm. However, evaluations of functional outcomes of RSA have shown variable improvements in the range of motion. The aim of our study was to correlate humeral and arm lengthening to postoperative AAE. Methods: We reviewed 183 RSAs with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Lengthening of the humerus and the arm was evaluated in relation to the contralateral side. Results: We observed mean humeral lengthening of 0.2 ± 1.4 cm (range, −4.7 to +5.2 cm) and mean arm lengthening of 1.6 ± 1.9 cm (range, −5.1 to +5.4 cm). Postoperative AAE was 140° ± 27° (range, 30° to 180°). We found no significant correlation between lengthening or shortening of the humerus and AAE (P = .169). Shortening of the arm led to a mean AAE value of 122°; lengthening of 0 and 1 cm, mean AAE of 140°; lengthening of greater than 1 cm to 2.5 cm, mean AAE of 144°; and lengthening of greater than 2.5 cm, mean AAE of 147°. When we compared patients with lengthening of the arm and those with shortening, the postoperative AAE was significantly greater after arm lengthening, 145° versus 122°, with a mean difference of 23° (95% confidence interval, 13° to 33°) (P < .001). Conclusion: This study shows that shortening of the arm reduced AAE. With respect to arm lengthening, a lengthening threshold was not found. An objective assessment of deltoid lengthening is possible preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively, and this measure seems to correlate with the functional outcome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Neglected and underestimated in the past, Propionibacterium acnes is currently the most prevalent organism associated with deep prosthetic infections around the shoulder. Surprisingly, it has never been reported as a cause of infection in the hand. Here we report a case of a late presentation of a P. acnes infection in a metacarpophalangeal joint replacement, resulting in chronic low-grade pain with movement. The patient underwent a 2-stage revision, with initial removal of the prosthesis. Positive cultures for P. acnes required 15 days of extended incubation. The patient subsequently had 6 weeks of oral antibiotics followed by a second-stage revision with a Silastic implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]