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Introduction The presence of retained intramedullary fibular allograft presents many challenges during reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), which have been discussed in limited fashion. This case series presents a single-surgeon experience with 6 patients treated with RSA following failed osteosynthesis of proximal humerus fractures using intramedullary allografts. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of RSA patients with a minimum of 2-year follow-up (exception of 1 deceased patient) for failed plate fixation of proximal humerus fractures. Two cohorts were created based on the presence of an intramedullary allograft during the procedure. Patient-reported outcome measures, active range of motion, time to revision, surgical time, complications, and case descriptions were obtained from chart review and radiographic analysis. Results When treating patients with a retained allograft, the surgeon used a guide pin from a cannulated screw set to advance through the graft, and a cannulated drill was used to ream and bypass the allograft, contributing to a 22% increase in surgical time (151 vs 124 min). Intraoperative complications were observed only in the allograft cohort (50%; 3 of 6), including cortical perforation with cement extrusion, humeral loosening, and proximal humerus bone loss. Patients treated with a retained allograft experienced pain relief ( P = .001) but did not gain significant functional improvements. Conclusion RSA for failed proximal humerus fixation with healed intramedullary allograft is associated with increased operative time and intraoperative complications, and patients can mostly expect pain relief. Techniques for humeral canal preparation and stem placement to bypass the allograft are helpful in managing these revisions.

Background We report here on the results, stratified by diagnosis, of a multicenter prospective study by surgeons unaffiliated with the design team of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) performed using a lateralized glenosphere. We hypothesized that outcomes would be comparable to those reported previously. Methods : A total of 245 patients underwent RSA for cuff tear arthropathy or glenohumeral arthritis with rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff tear with instability or escape and without glenohumeral arthritis, or failed shoulder arthroplasty. Clinical, radiographic, and self-assessed outcome measures were obtained preoperatively and at standardized time points postoperatively. At 2 years, 173 patients were available as 23 patients were deceased, 12 had undergone revision, and 37 were unavailable. Results : Range of motion and outcomes improved, irrespective of diagnosis. Active forward flexion, abduction, and external rotation improved (73°–127°, 65°–109°, and 24°–37°, respectively, P

Background Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is the fastest growing sector of arthroplasty in the United States. One of the greatest drivers of costs following joint replacement surgery has been shown to be discharge disposition. This study examines the costs associated in the first 90 days of care following shoulder arthroplasty with a specific focus on the effects of discharge disposition. Methods We conducted a retrospective, case–control study of the entire Medicare population from 2011 to 2014 identifying TSA patients based on International Classification of Disease ninth revision codes. Only patients with demographic and discharge information were included. Costs were analyzed based on mean reimbursements. Patients were stratified according to 4 disposition groups: home, skilled nursing facility (SNF), intermediate care facility (ICF), and inpatient rehabilitation (InR). The correlation of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to discharge disposition was also examined. Results A total of 50 979 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean 90-day costs for patients discharged home were $12 691 (standard deviation [SD]: $471.9), for those who went to an SNF was $15 093 (SD: $622.4), for ICF $15 473 (SD: $2366) and for those who went to InR $24 731 (SD: $1922; P