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Background: In shoulder arthroplasty, cerclage fixation techniques are used to stabilize osteotomies, fractures, and allografts. Fixation techniques including cerclage with metal and polymer cables have been described. The purpose of this study was to evaluate suture cerclage fixation of the humeral shaft during shoulder arthroplasty. Materials and methods: Shoulder arthroplasty cases performed from 2012-2017 by 3 fellowship-trained shoulder arthroplasty surgeons were reviewed. Cases in which suture cerclage was used for osteotomy, fracture, or allograft fixation were identified. Demographic data, indications, implant types, fixation techniques, and complications were reviewed. Postoperative radiographs were analyzed for union, component loosening, and loss of fixation. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores were collected preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: A total of 27 patients (3 primary and 24 revision cases) with a mean age of 69.6 years (range, 28-88 years) were available for follow-up at a mean of 12.6 months (range, 0.8-42.3 months) postoperatively. Humeral osteotomy alone was performed in 15 cases. Allograft alone was used in 1 case. Both allograft and osteotomy were used in 6 cases. Complications occurred in 3 patients (11%), comprising 1 postoperative periprosthetic fracture and 2 prosthetic joint infections; all required further surgery. Radiographs at final follow-up showed healing of all osteotomies and fractures. No hardware failure or implant loosening occurred. The mean postoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores were significantly improved (α = .05) compared with preoperative scores, from 21.4 to 44.5 (P = .002) and from 26.7 to 74.1 (P < .001), respectively. Conclusion: Suture cerclage is safe and effective for humeral fixation in shoulder arthroplasty.

Removing a well-fixed humeral component in revision shoulder arthroplasty can present a difficult challenge. Intraoperative complications including iatrogenic fracture, humeral perforation, segmental bone loss, nerve and soft tissue injury can occur. These complications can occur with both cemented and press-fitted stems and can lead to increased morbidity and decreased functional outcomes. Complete removal of the cement mantle and cement restrictor, when necessary, can present even further challenges. Several extraction techniques have been described that can help minimize complications and enable safe, complete component extraction.

Periprosthetic infection after shoulder arthroplasty represents a devastating complication that often requires extensive revision surgery with substantial economic and patient burden, and ultimately leads to reduced patient function. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative measures can be taken to decrease infection rates by both the surgeon and the patient. While many are not modifiable, several factors are within the surgeon's control and optimization of these factors can reduce the incidence of infection. We review these challenges as well as emphasize certain preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative protocols to better reinforce a successful outcome for the patient.

When considering shoulder arthroplasty in a younger patient the surgeon can choose between stemmed, stemless or resurfacing implants for humeral reconstruction. Resurfacing arthroplasty can reproduce humeral anatomy independent of the humeral shaft, minimize bone resection and offer potential easier revision surgery. The resurfacing implant has been in use for over 30 years and has favorable long-term outcome.

Surgeons often cite published complication rates when discussing surgery with patients. However, these rates may not truly represent current results or an individual surgeon's experience with a given procedure. This study proposes a novel method to more accurately report current complication trends that may better represent the patient's potential experience: simple moving average. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is an increasingly popular and rapidly evolving procedure with highly variable reported complication rates. The authors used an RSA model to test and evaluate the usefulness of simple moving average. This study reviewed 297 consecutive RSA procedures performed by a single surgeon and noted complications in 50 patients (16.8%). Simple moving average for total complications as well as minor, major, acute, and chronic complications was then calculated using various lag intervals. These findings showed trends toward fewer total, major, and chronic complications over time, and these trends were represented best with a lag of 75 patients. Average follow-up within this lag was 26.2 months. Rates for total complications decreased from 17.3% to 8% at the most recent simple moving average. The authors' traditional complication rate with RSA (16.8%) is consistent with reported rates. However, the use of simple moving average shows that this complication rate decreased over time, with current trends (8%) markedly lower, giving the senior author a more accurate picture of his evolving complication trends with RSA. Compared with traditional methods, simple moving average can be used to better reflect current trends in complication rates associated with a surgical procedure and may better represent the patient's potential experience. [ Orthopedics. 2016; 39(5):e869–e876.]