Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

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Search Strategy[edit | edit source]

 Search Databases: Cochrane Library, CINAHL PLUS with full text, Medline with full text, Proquest, Google Scholar. Search dates: 10/25/10-11/13/10.
Search terms: Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, Shoulder Arthroplasty, Shoulder Surgery AND Rehab, Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty, Shoulder Replacement, Shoulder surgery AND complications

Definition/Description[edit | edit source]

Total shoulder arthroplasty, or TSA, is a procedure used to replace the diseased or damaged ball and socket joint of the shoulder with a prosthesis made of polyethylene and metal components. The “ball” is the proximal head of the humerus and the “socket” refers to the concave depression of the scapula referred to as the glenoid.(multi-source)

A reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, or rTSA, refers to a similar procedure in which the prosthetic ball and socket that make up the joint are reversed to treat certain complex shoulder problems. (multi-source)

Epidemiology /Etiology[edit | edit source]

 The first record of shoulder arthroplasty was performed in 1894 by the French surgeon, Jean Pean (Gregory). The original implant consisted of a platinum and rubber implant for the glenohumeral joint. Charles Neer is credited with the advancement of modern TSA, developing more modern prostheses for surgical procedures beginning in the 1950’s(Gregory, Keller,Wilcox) .
There are approximately 23,000 shoulder replacement surgeries performed each year compared to 400,000 knee replacements, and 343,000 hip replacements (AAOS website). This is largely due to the relative complexity of the anatomy and biomechanics of the shoulder joint. Because of the complexity of the region, there are multiple variations in prostheses and surgical procedures that are performed depending on the tissues that are implicated. Since Neer’s initial design in 1951, more than 70 different shoulder systems have been designed for shoulder reconstruction arthroplasty(waiter 2009). The earliest shoulder replacement procedures were limited to treating proximal humeral fractures, but current implications for shoulder arthroplasty include: primary osteoarthritis, posttraumatic arthritis, inflammatory arthritis, osteonecrosis of the humeral head and neck, pseudoparesis caused by rotator cuff deficiency, and previous failed shoulder arthroplasty. Understanding the different prosthetic options and indications for each impairment is important for all practitioners in the health care continuum. Algorithms have been developed to assure each patient is matched with the correct procedure and fitted with the right prosthetic option. Below are examples from Wiater and Fabing detailing the method for selecting the proper procedure(Wiater).



Medical Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]

 There are 3 main categories of shoulder reconstruction surgery: Hemiarthroplasty, total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA).
Hemiarthroplasty
Hemiarthroplasty involves the humeral articular surface being replaced with a stemmed humeral component coupled with a prosthetic humeral head component. Hemiarthroplasty is indicated when either the humerus alone is implicated, or the glenoid is not fit to support a prosthetic. Indications include: arthritic conditions involving both the humeral head and osteonecrosis without glenoid involvement, however the most common indication for this procedure are severe fractures of the proximal humerus. An optional technique is a resurfacing hemiarthroplasty that does not require a stemmed component inserted into the long shaft of the humerus, rather the humeral head is simply resurfaced with a prosthetic component. This procedure has proven effective at managing arthritic conditions of the shoulder and is favorable for young, athletic patients with worries of loosening prosthetic components(source??).

Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
In TSA, the current components of the glenoid are either a pegged or keeled(picuture) high-molecular weight polyethylene cemented component (Gregory). These become fixated by allowing bony ingrowth through the pourous ends of the component. For some shoulders with inferior bone quality, metal backing is used to increase the durability and fixation of the polyethylene component (gregory, Keller). Controversy stills exists as to the stress effects metal backing can potentially cause on the joint.
The humeral component consists of the artificial metal humeral head attached to a metaphyseal stem that is either fully cemented, proximally cemented, of press-fit into the humeral shaft (Gregory, keller). Harris et al. Found no difference in comparing micromotion between fully and proximally cemented techniques (from gregory).
Indications for TSA include: osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, osteonecrosis involving the glenoid, and posttraumatic degenerative joint disease. The patient must also have an intact rotator cuff complex, or else other prosthetic techniques would be implicated. A prospective study by Barrett et al. found that 47 or 50 patients treated with TSA had significant decreases in pain and increases in range of motion compared to presurgical measurements (barrett 87). A 2004 study by Collins et al. compared conventional TSA with Hemiarthroplasty and although both groups showed significant decreases in pain from pretreatment measurements, the TSA group demonstrated more increases in ROM (Collins 2004).
There are several variations to the TSA procedure. Resurfacing total shoulder arthroplasty involves replacing the deteriorated bone surface of the humeral head and does not require a stemmed component inserted into the long axis of the humerus. Because there is no stemmed humeral component, this technique is becoming a popular option. Levy and Copeland compared cementless resurfacing TSA’s with standard stemmed prostheses and found comparable results (Levy 2004). An alternative for the active individual is the TSA with Biologic Glenoid Resurfacing. This procedure involves a TSA humeral component coupled with glenoid resurfacing using a form of biologic tissue (fascia lata, anterior shoulder capsule, Achilles tendon, menisci) and studies have shown comparable results to conventional TSA.
Comparison of published studies show some disagreement whether TSA is a superior treatment to hemiarthroplasty for patients with primary osteoarthritis. A meta-analysis by Radnay et al. found significantly greater pain relief, forward elevation, gain in forward elevation, gain in external rotation, and patient satisfaction with TSA compared with hemiarthroplasty in a total of 1,952 patients.
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
rTSA involves a stemmed-humeral component containing a polyethylene humerosocket replacing the humeral head, and a highly polished metal ball known as a glenosphere replacing the socket, or glenoid. One can think of this as the “ball and socket” components being switched. This allows for better fixation of the prosthetic parts and increased stability of the joint. An rTSA currently is indicated for patients suffering from osteoarthritis or compound fractures of the humerus, in conjunction with a deficiency of the rotator cuff complex(sources?). Matsen et al. also states that an rTSA should be considered for patients whose shoulder problems cannot be managed using a conventional TSA (Matsen 2006). Several features make the rTSA more compatible for certain patient populations. The deep concavity of the humeral articular component, as well as the simplicity of the glenoid component, allow for better fixation of the prosthesis and fewer problems with component loosening. Compensation for deltoid (RC?) dysfunction is made with the rTSA that typically is left unmanaged in conventional TSA. Several long term studies have been done on the procedure with positive results(source?). Early studies found both high complication and revision rates, 50 and 60 percent respectively(source?), however a 2007 retrospective study by Wall et al. found a complication rate of only 19% (Wall 2007). The authors of this study also suggest that rTSA can be used for a larger population of patients receiving a shoulder replacement, not just those with rotator cuff arthropathy. Early evidence suggests that RTSA is a viable option for certain patient populations with more research needed in comparisons with TSA and Hemiarthroplasty(source).

Complications[edit | edit source]

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Post Surgical Presentation/Precautions[edit | edit source]

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Physical Therapy Management (current best evidence)[edit | edit source]

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Expected Outcomes[edit | edit source]

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Key Research[edit | edit source]

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Clinical Bottom Line[edit | edit source]

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References[edit | edit source]

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