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Abstract Background Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) is commonly performed to reduce pain and restore shoulder function in patients with severe shoulder conditions. While most patients experience significant pain relief and functional improvement following surgery, a subset of patients continue to report persistent pain even two years postoperatively. The aim of this study was to identify both modifiable and non-modifiable preoperative factors that contribute to the risk of persistent postsurgical pain after RTSA. By understanding these factors, clinicians can better anticipate which patients are at higher risk and develop tailored preoperative and postoperative pain management strategies to improve overall outcomes. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, 703 patients with complete data undergoing primary RTSA performed between 2011 and 2022 were analyzed. Persistent postsurgical pain was defined as a pain score ≥ 3 on a numeric rating scale. Multivariable regression models were used to identify patient-related and disease-related predictors of persistent postsurgical pain. Results The cohort comprised 445 women (63%) and 258 men (37%) with a mean age of 74 ± 8 years at the time of surgery. Persistent postsurgical pain was reported by 18% of patients. Preoperative pain scores averaged 6.0 ± 2.5 on the NRS scale, which decreased to 1.2 ± 1.8 postoperatively. Key predictors included higher preoperative pain levels (β = 0.10, p

Abstract Background Insufficient tuberosity healing is the most common reason for poor outcome after treatment of proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) using hemiarthroplasty (HA). In these cases, revision to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) can improve function and reduce pain in the short term, however, long-term results remain scarce. Aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological mid- to long-term results in patients with a revision RTSA after failed HA for PHF. Methods In this retrospective study all patients that received a revision to RTSA after failed fracture HA between 2006 and 2018 were included. A total of 49 shoulders in 48 patients (38 female, 10 male; mean age 82 ± 9 years) were identified in our database. A total of 20 patients (17 female, 3 male; mean age was 79 ± 9 years) were available for follow-up examination after a mean time period of approximately eight years (3–14 years) after revision surgery. At final follow-up, patients were assessed using a subjective shoulder value (SSV), range of motion (ROM), visual analogue score (VAS), the Constant Score (CS) and the 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12). Results At final follow-up, mean CS was 55 ± 19 (19–91), VAS averaged 3 ± 3 (0–8) and mean SSV was 61 ± 18% (18–90%). Mean SF-12 was 44 (28–57) with a mean physical component summary (PCS) of 38 (21–56) and a mean mental component summary (MCS) of 51 (29–67). On average active forward flexion (FF) was 104° (10–170°), active abduction (ABD) was 101° (50–170°), active external rotation (ER) was 19° (10–30°) and active internal rotation (IR) of the lumbosacral transition was reached. Three patients presented with a periprosthetic humeral fracture after RTSA implantation and underwent a reoperation (15%) during follow-up period. Conclusions Revision RTSA results in promising clinical results in patients after initial failed HA after PHF. A complication and reoperation rate of 15% is tolerable in consideration of satisfactory functional and psychological outcome. Trial registration Retrospectively registered.

Abstract Background The importance of several scapulothoracic muscles, including trapezius and serratus anterior, in maintaining physiological scapula kinematics has been highlighted in the past. However, the relationship between the scapula and the latissimus dorsi muscle remains unclear. Our clinical surgical observation is that the latissimus dorsi does not directly attach but rather runs superficial to the inferior angle of the scapula. Based on this observation, we hypothesise that the latissimus dorsi creates a dynamic track on which the scapula glides under the muscle belly during elevation of the arm, creating the latissimus-scapula overlap (LSO). Methods All consecutive patients who had a whole-body computed tomography scan (CT) in case of polytrauma evaluation between 2018 and 2021, with complete depiction of the scapula and latissimus dorsi muscle, were analysed. 150 shoulders in 90 patients with arms up were matched according to their age (within five years), gender, and affected side with 150 shoulders in 88 patients with arms down. Patients with pathologies of the upper extremities or thorax that potentially could alter LSO measurements were excluded. LSO was calculated as a ratio of the measured area of the latissimus dorsi projection on the scapula and the total scapula area. Results The mean age of the 178 patients (48 females; 13 males) was 60 years. The arms-up group showed a significantly higher LSO than the arms-down group (19.9 ± 6.3% vs. 2.7 ± 2.2%; p

Abstract Background The two major reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) designs are the Grammont design and the lateralized design. Even if the lateralized design is biomechanically favored, the classic Grammont prosthesis continues to be used. Functional and subjective patient scores as well as implant survival described in the literature so far are comparable to the lateralized design. A pure comparison of how the RSA design influences outcome in patients has not yet been determined. The aim of this study was a comparison focused on patients with cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). Methods We analyzed registry data from 696 CTA patients prospectively collected between 2012 and 2020 in two specialized orthopedic centers up to 2 years post-RSA with the same follow-up time points (6,12 24 months). Complete teres minor tears were excluded. Three groups were defined: group 1 (inlay, 155° humeral inclination, 36 + 2 mm eccentric glenosphere (n = 50)), group 2 (inlay, 135° humeral inclination, 36 + 4 mm lateralized glenosphere (n = 141)) and group 3 (onlay, 145° humeral inclination, + 3 mm lateralized base plate, 36 + 2 mm eccentric glenosphere (n = 35)) We compared group differences in clinical outcomes (e.g., active and passive range of motion (ROM), abduction strength, Constant-Murley score (CS)), radiographic evaluations of prosthetic position, scapular anatomy and complications using mixed models adjusted for age and sex. Results The final analysis included 226 patients. The overall adjusted p-value of the CS for all time-points showed no significant difference (p = 0.466). Flexion of group 3 (mean, 155° (SD 13)) was higher than flexion of group 1 (mean, 142° (SD 18) and 2 (mean, 132° (SD 18) (p

Abstract Background Scapulothoracic orientation, especially scapular internal rotation (SIR) may influence range of motion in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) and is subjected to body posture. Clinical measurements of SIR rely on apical bony landmarks, which depend on changes in scapulothoracic orientation, while radiographic measurements are often limited by the restricted field of view (FOV) in CT scans. Therefore, the goal of this study was (1) to determine whether the use of CT scans with a limited FOV to measure SIR is reliable and (2) if a clinical measurement could be a valuable alternative. Methods This anatomical study analyzed the whole-body CT scans of 100 shoulders in 50 patients (32 male and 18 female) with a mean age of 61.2 ± 20.1 years (range 18; 91). (1) CT scans were rendered into 3D models and SIR was determined as previously described. Results were compared to measurements taken in 2D CT scans with a limited FOV. (2) Three apical bony landmarks were defined: (the angulus acromii (AA), the midpoint between the AA and the coracoid process tip (C) and the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. The scapular axis was determined connecting the trigonum scapulae with these landmarks and referenced to the glenoid center. The measurements were repeated with 0°, 10°, 20°, 30° and 40° anterior scapular tilt. Results Mean SIR was 44.8° ± 5.9° and 45.6° ± 6.6° in the 3D and 2D model, respectively (p

Abstract Background The role of the subacromial bursa in the development or healing of shoulder pathologies is unclear. Due to this limited knowledge, we aimed to understand specific reactions of the subacromial bursa according to rotator cuff (RC) pathologies compared to non-tendon defects of the shoulder. We hypothesized that the tissue composition and inflammatory status of the bursa are likely to vary between shoulder pathologies depending on the presence and the extent of RC lesion. Method Bursa samples from patients with either 1) shoulder instability with intact RC (healthy bursa, control), 2) osteochondral pathology with intact RC, 3) partial supraspinatus (SSP) tendon tear, or 4) full-thickness SSP tear were investigated histologically and on gene expression level. Result Bursae from SSP tears differed from non-tendon pathologies by exhibiting increased chondral metaplasia and TGFβ1 expression. MMP1 was not expressed in healthy bursa controls, but strongly increased with full-thickness SSP tears. Additionally, the expression of the inflammatory mediators IL1β, IL6, and COX2 increased with the extent of SSP tear as shown by correlation analysis. In contrast, increased angiogenesis and nerve fibers as well as significantly upregulated IL6 and COX2 expression were features of bursae from patients with osteochondral pathology. Using immunohistochemistry, CD45+ leukocytes were observed in all examined groups, which were identified in particular as CD68+ monocytes/macrophages. Conclusion In summary, besides the strong increase in MMP1 expression with SSP tear, molecular changes were minor between the investigated groups. However, expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines correlated with the severity of the SSP tear. Most pronounced tissue alterations occurred for the osteochondral pathology and full-thickness SSP tear group, which demonstrates that the bursal reaction is not exclusively dependent on the occurrence of an SSP tear rather than longstanding degenerative changes. The present bursa characterization contributes to the understanding of specific tissue alterations related to RC tears or non-tendon shoulder pathologies. This pilot study provides the basis for future studies elucidating the role of the subacromial bursa in the development or healing of shoulder pathologies.

Abstract Background Irreparable massive rotator cuff tears (IMRCTs) are a well-known cause for functional limitation and difficult to treat. Although several joint-preserving as well as joint-replacing procedures were found to provide pain relief and gain of function, midterm results are scarce, particularly in pseudoparetic shoulder joints unaccompanied by severe osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to compare the midterm functional outcomes of arthroscopic procedures to those of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) in pseudoparetic shoulders with IMRCTs unaccompanied by severe osteoarthritis. Methods All patients who underwent either joint-preserving (group A) or joint-replacing (group B) procedures for IMRCT unaccompanied by severe osteoarthritis with a pseudoparetic shoulder function were retrospectively included. Clinical assessment included the Constant Score (CS), the Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV) and the Visual Analog Score (VAS) at baseline and at latest follow-up. Furthermore, the complication and revision rates were assessed. Results Overall, a total 56 patients were included of whom each 28 patients formed group A (male, 36%) and B (male, 53%) with a mean patient age at time of surgery of 70 ± 7 years and 72 ± 7 years, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 56 ± 17 months. At final follow-up, the total CS (group A: 66 ± 14 points; group B 54 ± 15 points) was significantly increased after arthroscopic treatment when compared to RTSA (p=0.011). However, no significant differences were detected with SSV (p=0.583) and VAS (p=0.536). Although complication rate (11% versus 18%) was not significantly different (p=0.705), number of revision surgeries was significantly higher in group B when compared to group A (p=0.041). Conclusions In non-arthritic pseudoparetic shoulders, both joint-preserving and joint-replacing procedures yielded good clinical midterm outcomes for the treatment of degenerative IMRCTs. Despite of comparable functional and satisfactory functional improvement, increased complication rates and surgical invasiveness outweigh the benefits of primary RTSA and therefore reserve this procedure to a second-line treatment in pseudoparetic patients without any signs of severe cuff arthropathy.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of positive microbiology samples after osteosynthesis of proximal humerus fractures at the time of revision surgery and evaluate clinical characteristics of patients with positive culture results. Methods All patients, who underwent revision surgery after locked platting, medullary nailing or screw osteosynthesis of proximal humeral fractures between April 2013 and July 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients with acute postoperative infections, those with apparent clinical signs of infection and those with ≤1 tissue or only sonication sample obtained at the time of implant removal were excluded. Positive culture results of revision surgery and its correlation with postoperative shoulder stiffness was analyzed in patients with an interval of ≥6 months between the index osteosynthesis and revision surgery. Results Intraoperatively obtained cultures were positive in 31 patients (50%). Cutibacterium acnes was the most commonly isolated microorganism, observed in 21 patients (67.7%), followed by coagulase negative staphylococci in 12 patients (38.7%). There were significantly more stiff patients in the culture positive group compared to the culture-negative group (19/21, 91% vs. 15/26, 58%, p = 0.02). Furthermore, 11 of 12 (91.7%) patients with growth of the same microorganism in at least two samples had a stiff shoulder compared to 23 of 35 (65.7%) patients with only one positive culture or negative culture results (p = 0.14). Conclusion Infection must always be considered as a possibility in the setting of revision surgery after proximal humerus osteosynthesis, especially in patients with postoperative stiffness.

Abstract Background Functional shoulder instability (FSI) is defined as glenohumeral instability that is not caused by structural defects but rather by abnormal muscle activation patterns. Patients with FSI are able to dislocate their shoulder at will, either by motion (positional FSI) or even without moving the arm (non-positional FSI). In contrast to structural shoulder instability, little is known about the epidemiology of FSI. The aim of the following study was to further analyse this rare pathology and approximate the prevalence of FSI. Methods A self-evaluated and anonymous online survey among 5866 medical students was conducted using the students email list of two german-speaking medical universities (Study Center 1 and Study Center 2). Possibly affected siblings were used as a supplementary group (Siblings Cohort). General sociodemographic data, dislocation mechanism, potential causes, age at the tie of developing first symptoms, general hyperlaxity, previous interventions, and sporting activity were evaluated and analyzed. The total number of email recipients and responses was used to estimate the minimal and maximal prevalence of FSI. Results Five hundred thirteen questionnaires were completed by the students and subsequently analyzed. In total, there were 32 participants with FSI. The minimal prevalence of FSI was found to be 0,5% and the maximal prevalence 2,6%. In most cases (67%) a positional FSI was reported. The majority of the patients reported that first symptoms developed under the age of 16 years (69%) and without any traumatic event (72%). Most of the affected participants had no therapeutic intervention for their FSI (69%) and performed non-overhead (59%) or overhead sports (28%). Conclusion Functional shoulder instability (FSI) is more common than expected amongst young adults and seems to develop during childhood mostly without specific reason.

Abstract Background Acromial morphology has previously been defined as a risk factor for some shoulder pathologies. Yet, study results are inconclusive and not all major shoulder diseases have been sufficiently investigated. Thus, the aim of the present study was to analyze predictive value of three radiological parameters including the critical shoulder angle, acromion index, and lateral acromion angle in relationship to symptomatic patients with either cuff tear arthropathy, glenohumeral osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tear, impingement, and tendinitis calcarea. Methods A total of 1000 patients’ standardized true-anteroposterior radiographs were retrospectively assessed. Receiver-operating curve analyses and multinomial logistic regression were used to examine the association between shoulder pathologies and acromion morphology. The prediction model was derived from a development cohort and applied to a validation cohort. Prediction model’s performance was statistically evaluated. Results The majority of radiological measurements were significantly different between shoulder pathologies, but the critical shoulder angle was an overall better parameter to predict and distinguish between the different pathologies than the acromion index or lateral acromion angle. Typical critical shoulder angle-age patterns for the different shoulder pathologies could be detected. Patients diagnosed with rotator cuff tears had the highest, whereas patients with osteoarthritis had the lowest critical shoulder angle. The youngest patients were in the tendinitis calcarea and the oldest in the cuff tear arthropathy group. Conclusions The present study showed that critical shoulder angle and age, two easily assessable variables, adequately predict different shoulder pathologies in patients with shoulder complaints.