Five-Year Mortality Rates Following Elective Shoulder Arthroplasty and Shoulder Arthroplasty for Fracture in Patients Over Age 65.

Background: To effectively counsel patients prior to shoulder arthroplasty, surgeons should understand the overall life trajectory and life expectancy of patients in the context of the patient's shoulder pathology and medical comorbidities. Such an understanding can influence both operative and nonoperative decision-making and implant choices. This study evaluated 5-year mortality following shoulder arthroplasty in patients ≥65 years old and identified associated risk factors. Methods: We utilized Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Fee-for-Service inpatient and outpatient claims data to investigate the 5-year mortality rate following shoulder arthroplasty procedures performed from 2014 to 2016. The impact of patient demographics, including fracture diagnosis, year fixed effects, and state fixed effects; patient comorbidities; and hospital-level characteristics on 5-year mortality rates were assessed with use of a Cox proportional hazards regression model. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 108,667 shoulder arthroplasty cases (96,104 nonfracture and 12,563 fracture) were examined. The cohort was 62.7% female and 5.8% non-White and had a mean age at surgery of 74.3 years. The mean 5-year mortality rate was 16.6% across all shoulder arthroplasty cases, 14.9% for nonfracture cases, and 29.9% for fracture cases. The trend toward higher mortality in the fracture group compared with the nonfracture group was sustained throughout the 5-year postoperative period, with a fracture diagnosis being associated with a hazard ratio of 1.63 for mortality (p < 0.001). Medical comorbidities were associated with an increased risk of mortality, with liver disease bearing the highest hazard ratio (3.07; p < 0.001), followed by chronic kidney disease (2.59; p < 0.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1.92; p < 0.001), and congestive heart failure (1.90; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The mean 5-year mortality following shoulder arthroplasty was 16.6%. Patients with a fracture diagnosis had a significantly higher 5-year mortality risk (29.9%) than those with a nonfracture diagnosis (14.9%). Medical comorbidities had the greatest impact on mortality risk, with chronic liver and kidney disease being the most noteworthy. This novel longer-term data can help with patient education and risk stratification prior to undergoing shoulder replacement. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in shoulder surgery: a break-even cost-effectiveness study.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious complication following orthopedic shoulder surgery; however, research is limited involving the break-even cost-effectiveness of VTE prophylaxis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the cost of aspirin and enoxaparin would break even for VTE prevention in patients following shoulder surgery. METHODS: A drug retail database was used to obtain the lowest price for a course of aspirin (81 mg) and enoxaparin (40 mg) to perform a break-even cost analysis. Our institutional purchasing records were then searched to estimate the cost of treating a symptomatic VTE. The TriNetX national database was queried to establish a rate of VTE after shoulder surgery. A break-even cost analysis was performed by determining the absolute risk reduction (ARR). This value was used to calculate the number of patients who are treated to prevent a single VTE while breaking even on cost. Sensitivity analyses were performed for drugs that did not break even at the database-derived VTE rates. RESULTS: Full medication courses of aspirin and enoxaparin were found to cost $1.18 and $125.37, respectively. The cost of treating a symptomatic VTE was determined to be $9407.00. Data from the TriNetX database showed rates of symptomatic VTE following shoulder arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of 1.60%, 1.50%, and 0.68%, respectively. Aspirin broke even on cost for all procedures if the initial rate decreased by an ARR of 0.01% (number needed to treat, 7972). Similarly, enoxaparin broke even for shoulder arthroplasty and hemiarthroplasty if the initial rate of VTE decreased by an ARR of 1.33% (number needed to treat, 75). Enoxaparin did not break even at the initial VTE rate for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair; however, sensitivity analysis found enoxaparin would break even if the drug could be obtained at a cost of ≤$60.00. Enoxaparin broke even if the cost of treating a symptomatic VTE was ≥$20,000.00. CONCLUSIONS: The cost of a 3-week course of twice-daily aspirin or once-daily enoxaparin breaks even for VTE prophylaxis following shoulder arthroplasty and hemiarthroplasty if these drugs reduce the VTE rate by a calculated ARR. Given the lower rate of VTE observed for patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, only the 3-week course of aspirin broke even under these conditions. Once-daily enoxaparin did not break even at current market rate. Further research is needed to help determine optimal VTE prophylaxis after shoulder surgery.

Higher Surgeon Volume is Associated With a Lower Rate of Subsequent Revision Procedures After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A National Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies assessing the relationship between surgeon volume and outcomes have shown mixed results, depending on the specific procedure analyzed. This volume relationship has not been well studied in patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), but it should be, because this procedure is common, expensive, and potentially morbid. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We performed this study to assess the association between increasing surgeon volume and decreasing rate of revision at 2 years for (1) anatomic TSA (aTSA) and (2) reverse TSA (rTSA) in the United States. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we used Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) fee-for-service inpatient and outpatient data from 2015 to 2021 to study the association between annual surgeon aTSA and rTSA volume and 2-year revision shoulder procedures after the initial surgery. The CMS database was chosen for this study because it is a national sample and can be used to follow patients over time. We included patients with Diagnosis-related Group code 483 and Current Procedural Terminology code 23472 for TSA (these codes include both aTSA and rTSA). We used International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, procedural codes. Patients who underwent shoulder arthroplasty for fracture (10% [17,524 of 173,242]) were excluded. We studied the variables associated with the subsequent procedure rate through a generalized linear model, controlling for confounders such as patient age, comorbidity risk score, surgeon and hospital volume, surgeon graduation year, hospital size and teaching status, assuming a binomial distribution with the dependent variable being whether an episode had at least one subsequent procedure within 2 years. The regression was fitted with standard errors clustered at the hospital level, combining all TSAs and within the aTSA and rTSA groups, respectively. Hospital and surgeon yearly volumes were calculated by including all TSAs, primary procedure and subsequent, during the study period. Other hospital-level and surgeon-level characteristics were obtained through public files from the CMS. The CMS Hierarchical Condition Category risk score was controlled because it is a measure reflecting the expected future health costs for each patient based on the patient's demographics and chronic illnesses. We then converted regression coefficients to the percentage change in the odds of having a subsequent procedure. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding variables including patient age, comorbidity risk score, surgeon and hospital volume, surgeon graduation year, and hospital size and teaching status, we found that an annual surgeon volume of ≥ 10 aTSAs was associated with a 27% decreased odds of revision within 2 years (95% confidence interval 13% to 39%; p < 0.001), while surgeon volume of ≥ 29 aTSAs was associated with a 33% decreased odds of revision within 2 years (95% CI 18% to 45%; p < 0.001) compared with a volume of fewer than four aTSAs per year. Annual surgeon volume of ≥ 29 rTSAs was associated with a 26% decreased odds of revision within 2 years (95% CI 9% to 39%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Surgeons should consider modalities such as virtual planning software, templating, or enhanced surgeon training to aid lower-volume surgeons who perform aTSA and rTSA. More research is needed to assess the value of these modalities and their relationship with the rates of subsequent revision. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial disparities in patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty in the United States.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess racial disparities in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) in the United States and to determine whether these disparities were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 100% sample was used to examine primary TSA volume from April to December from 2019 to 2020. Utilization was assessed for White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian populations to determine if COVID-19 affected these groups differently. A regression model adjusted for age, sex, CMS-hierarchical condition categories (HCC) score, dual enrollment (proxy for socioeconomic status), time-fixed effects, and core-based statistical area fixed effects was used to study difference across groups. Results: In 2019, the TSA volume per 1000 beneficiaries was 1.51 for White and 0.57 for non-White, with a 2.6-fold difference. In 2020, the rate of TSA in White patients (1.30/1000) was 2.9 times higher than non-White (0.45/1000) during the COVID-19 pandemic (P < .01). There was an overall 14% decrease in TSA volume per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries in 2020; non-White patients had a larger percentage decrease in TSA volume than White (21% vs. 14%, estimated difference; 8.7%, P = .02). Black patients experienced the most pronounced disparity with estimated difference of 10.1%, P = .05, compared with White patients. Similar disparities were observed when categorizing procedures into anatomic and reverse TSA, but not proximal humerus fracture. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, overall TSA utilization decreased by 14% with White patients experiencing a decrease of 14%, and non-White patients experiencing a decrease of 21%. This trend was observed for elective TSA, while disparities were less apparent for proximal humerus fracture.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on shoulder arthroplasty: surgical trends and postoperative care pathway analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 triggered disruption in the conventional care pathways for many orthopedic procedures. The current study aims to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on shoulder arthroplasty hospital surgical volume, trends in surgical case distribution, length of hospitalization, posthospital disposition, and 30-day readmission rates. METHODS: This study queried all Medicare (100% sample) fee-for-service beneficiaries who underwent a shoulder arthroplasty procedure (Diagnosis-Related Group code 483, Current Procedural Terminology code 23472) from January 1, 2019, to December 18, 2020. Fracture cases were separated from nonfracture cases, which were further subdivided into anatomic or reverse arthroplasty. Volume per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries was calculated from April to December 2020 and compared to the same months in 2019. Length of stay (LOS), discharged-home rate, and 30-day readmission for the same period were obtained. The yearly difference adjusted for age, sex, race (white vs. nonwhite), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category risk score, month fixed effects, and Core-Based Statistical Area fixed effects, with standard errors clustered at the provider level, was calculated using a multivariate analysis (P < .05). RESULTS: A total of 49,412 and 41,554 total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) cases were observed April through December for 2019 and 2020, respectively. There was an overall decrease in shoulder arthroplasty volume per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries by 14% (19% reduction in anatomic TSA, 13% reduction in reverse shoulder arthroplasty, and 3% reduction in fracture cases). LOS for all shoulder arthroplasty cases decreased by 16% (-0.27 days, P < .001) when adjusted for confounders. There was a 5% increase in the discharged-home rate (88.0% to 92.7%, P < .001), which was most prominent in fracture cases, with a 20% increase in discharged-home cases (65.0% to 73.4%, P < .001). There was no significant change in 30-day hospital readmission rates overall (P = .20) or when broken down by individual procedures. CONCLUSIONS: There was an overall decrease in shoulder arthroplasty volume per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries by 14% during the COVID-19 pandemic. A decrease in LOS and increase in the discharged-home rates was also observed with no significant change in 30-day hospital readmission, indicating that a shift toward an outpatient surgical model can be performed safely and efficiently and has the potential to provide value.

Characterizing opioid consumption in the 30-day post-operative period following shoulder surgery: are we over prescribing?

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to characterize opioid consumption in the first 30 days after shoulder surgery. Secondary aims were to assess patient expectations, pain tolerance, risk factors for increase opioid consumption, and proper disposal of narcotics.Methods: Patients undergoing rotator cuff repair (RCR), anatomic shoulder arthroplasty, reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), distal clavicle resection, or labral surgery were prospectively enrolled. Collected data included demographics, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), pain tolerance surveys, narcotic use, adverse effects, and disposal method.Results: Eighty patients were included in this study. At 28 days, RCR patients took significantly more 5 mg oxycodone-equivalent pills than RSA patients (18.4 vs. 7.5; p = 0.001). Number of days on narcotics did not differ between groups. By day 14, 73 (92.5%) patients had stopped taking narcotics entirely, with 872 5 mg oxycodone-equivalent pills prescribed in surplus. Ten (14.3%) patients required an additional prescription. There was a significant difference in tobacco use (20% vs. 1.4%; p = 0.04), psychiatric history (50% vs. 5.7%; p = 0.0004) and PCS (12.7 vs. 7.1; p = 0.027) in these patients, with PCS of 12.5 as predictive of requiring another prescription.Conclusion: All patients achieved adequate pain control, with 60 (75%) patients having excess pills. Opioid utilization differed based on surgery - significantly lower use in RSA patients compared to RCR. Only 13 (16.25%) patients required more than 20 5 mg oxycodone-equivalent pills. Tobacco use, history of psychiatric illness, and PCS were risk factors for requiring more prescriptions.

Efficacy of local infiltration anesthesia versus interscalene nerve blockade for total shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Optimal modalities for pain control in shoulder arthroplasty are not yet established. Although regional nerve blockade has been a well-accepted modality, complications and rebound pain have led some surgeons to seek other pain control modalities. Local injection of anesthetics has recently gained popularity in joint arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and complication rate of a low-cost local anesthetic injection mixture for use in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) compared with interscalene brachial plexus blockade. METHODS: A total of 314 patients underwent TSA and were administered general anesthesia with either a local injection mixture (local infiltration anesthesia [LIA], n = 161) or peripheral nerve block (PNB, n = 144). Patient charts were retrospectively reviewed for postoperative pain scores, 24-hour opioid consumption, and 90-day postoperative complications. RESULTS: Immediate postoperative pain scores were not significantly different between groups (P = .94). The LIA group demonstrated a trend toward lower pain scores at 24 hours postoperatively (P = .10). Opioid consumption during the first 24 hours following surgery was significantly reduced in the LIA group compared with the PNB group (P < .0001). There was a trend toward fewer postoperative nerve and cardiopulmonary complications in the LIA group than the PNB group (P = .22 and P = .40, respectively). CONCLUSION: Periarticular local injection mixtures provide comparable pain control to regional nerve blocks while reducing opioid use and postoperative complications following TSA. Local injection of a multimodal anesthetic solution is a viable option for pain management in TSA.

Latarjet Procedure for Anterior Glenohumeral Instability: Early Postsurgical Complications for Primary Coracoid Transfer Versus Revision Coracoid Transfer After Failed Prior Stabilization.

BACKGROUND: The Latarjet procedure (coracoid transfer) is often used to successfully treat failed instability procedures. However, given the reported increased complication rates in primary Latarjet surgery, there is a heightened concern for complications in performing the Latarjet procedure as revision surgery. PURPOSE: To evaluate the early outcomes and complications of the Latarjet procedure as primary surgery compared with revision surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A total of 157 patients were included and retrospectively reviewed: 103 patients in the revision group and 54 patients in the primary group. Patients were evaluated by physical examination findings as well as by documentation of complications and reoperations extracted from their electronic medical records. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 7.8 ± 11.0 months for the primary group and 7.0 ± 13.2 months for the revision group. There were no significant differences in overall complication rates between the primary and revision groups (16.7% vs 8.7%, respectively; P = .139). The complication rate was significantly higher in patients in the revision group who had undergone a prior open procedure compared with those who had undergone only arthroscopic procedures (30.0% vs 4.1%, respectively; P < .001). Of those patients who sustained a complication, 7 of the 9 underwent a reoperation in the primary group (13.0%), and 7 of the 9 did so in the revision group (6.8%); the risk of reoperations was not different between groups (P = .198). There were 4 patients in the primary group (7.4%) and 5 patients in the revision group (4.9%) who experienced recurrent dislocations during the follow-up period (P = .513). There was no difference in postoperative range of motion. CONCLUSION: The Latarjet procedure is a reasonable option for the treatment of failed arthroscopic instability repair with an early complication rate similar to that found in primary Latarjet surgery.

Characterization of an anatomic safe zone surrounding the lower subscapular nerve during an open deltopectoral approach.

BACKGROUND: Due to anatomic variance in subscapular nerve innervation patterns, it is theorized that the dysfunction of the subscapularis could be the result of iatrogenic denervation during mobilization of the subscapularis while exposing the anterior glenohumeral joint in anterior surgical approaches. The purpose of this study was to describe innervation patterns of the subscapularis and to characterize a safe zone when conducting an anterior surgical approach. METHODS: The study used 6 human cadaveric shoulder specimens (12 shoulders total). A deltopectoral approach was used to expose the axillary nerve back to the posterior cord of the brachial plexus and reveal the origins of the upper and lower subscapularis nerves. An anatomic safe zone was characterized by measuring distances from both the upper and lower subscapularis nerve insertions with respect to that of the lateral border of the conjoint tendon, the bicipital groove, superior border of the subscapularis, and the axillary nerve (for the lower subscapular nerve only) with the arm in 30° abduction. RESULTS: The anatomic safe zone of the subscapular nerves medial to the conjoint tendon is less than 32 mm. In relation to the axillary nerve, the safe zone is less than 10 mm inferiorly and 15 mm medially. CONCLUSIONS: This described safe zone with respect to the lateral border of the conjoint tendon and axillary nerve is aimed to provide guidance to reduce iatrogenic injury of the subscapular nerves during anterior shoulder exposure. Extra care should be undertaken while dissecting past this safe zone to prevent iatrogenic subscapular nerve injury.

Short-Term Results of the DePuy Global Unite Platform Shoulder System: A Two-Year Outcome Study.

BACKGROUND: The Global Unite Shoulder System is the next generation of implant from the Depuy Global Shoulder line. The primary feature of the Global Unite is adaptability through the interchangeable modular bodies, modular suture collars, and stems. Short-term functional and radiographic outcomes of the Global Unite Platform Shoulder System were assessed as well as complication and revision rates. METHODS: 95 subjects were enrolled prospectively between 2013 and 2015 that underwent anatomic or reverse shoulder arthroplasty utilizing the DePuy Global Unite Anatomic Platform Shoulder System. Functional outcome data (ASES and SANE) as well as radiographic data was collected on these patients pre-operatively, and at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-operatively. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 97 shoulders in 95 patients of which 54 (56.8%) are males and 41 (43.2%) are female. There were 55/97 (56.7%) were primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties, 37/97 (38.1%) primary reverse shoulder arthroplasties, and 3/97 (3.1%) revision procedures to a reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Outcome scores demonstrated an increase in ASES score from a mean of 33.00 to 79.56 and SANE score of 21.30 to 84.08. CONCLUSION: The Depuy Global Unite shoulder system demonstrated very good short-term results in this two-year outcome study. Functional outcome scores are similar to current literature for anatomic and reverse primary cases. Radiographic measures at two years are promising with only 2 cases of grade 1 scapular notching and one case of grade 2 scapular notching. Overall the Depuy Global Unite is a versatile shoulder system with very good early outcomes.

Humeral shaft fractures.

Fractures of the humeral shaft are common injuries with multiple management strategies. Many still regard nonoperative management as the standard of care; however, as the understanding of these injuries increases, treatment recommendations are also evolving. Fracture pattern, fracture location, and identifiable patient risk factors may predict poor outcome with nonoperative management, and earlier operative intervention may be recommended. Operative management includes open reduction and internal fixation through a variety of exposures, intramedullary nail fixation, and external fixation. With increasing rates of shoulder arthroplasty, periprosthetic humeral shaft fractures also deserve special consideration.

Posterior Displacement of Supraspinatus Central Tendon Observed on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Useful Preoperative Indicator of Rotator Cuff Tear Characteristics.

PURPOSE: To characterize the orientation of the normal supraspinatus central tendon and describe the displacement patterns of the central tendon in rotator cuff tears using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based method. METHODS: We performed a retrospective MRI and chart review of 183 patients with a rotator cuff tear (cuff tear group), 52 with a labral tear but no rotator cuff tear (labral tear group), and 74 with a normal shoulder (normal group). The orientation of the supraspinatus central tendon relative to the bicipital groove was evaluated based on axial MRI and was numerically represented by the shortest distance from the lateral extension line of the central tendon to the bicipital groove. Tear size, fatty degeneration, and involvement of the anterior supraspinatus were evaluated to identify the factors associated with orientation changes. RESULTS: The mean distance from the bicipital groove to the central tendon line was 0.7 mm and 1.3 mm in the normal group and labral tear group, respectively. Full-thickness cuff tears involving the anterior supraspinatus showed a significantly greater distance (17.7 mm) than those sparing the anterior supraspinatus (4.9 mm, P = .001). Fatty degeneration of the supraspinatus was significantly correlated with the distance (P = .006). Disruption of the anterior supraspinatus and fatty degeneration of the supraspinatus were independent predictors of posterior displacement. CONCLUSIONS: The supraspinatus central tendon has a constant orientation toward the bicipital groove in normal shoulders, and the central tendon is frequently displaced posteriorly in full-thickness rotator cuff tears involving the anterior leading edge of the supraspinatus. The degree of posterior displacement is proportional to tear size and severity of fatty degeneration of the supraspinatus muscle. A simple and quick assessment of the central tendon orientation on preoperative MRI can be a useful indicator of tear characteristics, potentially providing insight into the intraoperative repair strategy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, diagnostic case-control study.

Segmental Forearm Fracture Due to Grip-Lock Injury in Male Gymnast: A Case Report.

CASE: A fifteen-year-old male gymnast sustained a segmental forearm fracture with physeal involvement as the result of a grip-lock injury. CONCLUSION: Grip lock occurs when a leather grip becomes caught around a bar while the athlete is rotating around it. This may lead to physeal injuries, extensor tendon injuries, and fractures of the hand, wrist, or forearm. Proper grip fit and maintenance as well as education of coaches, parents, and athletes is important to prevent this type of injury.

Preoperative and intraoperative infection workup in apparently aseptic revision shoulder arthroplasty.

The possibility of infection should be considered in every revision shoulder arthroplasty even in the absence of clinical symptoms and signs of infection because indolent infection is prevalent. Detection of infection in apparently aseptic failed arthroplasties poses a diagnostic challenge as the conventional principles and criteria used for hip and knee arthroplasty are not generally applicable. Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis are among the infectious organisms most commonly identified in such situations. Serum inflammatory markers are essential but are often unreliable as they have poor sensitivity in the shoulder. Preoperative shoulder joint aspiration culture is an important step but is subject to high false-negative rates. Lower cutoff values of synovial fluid analysis are used for detection of periprosthetic infection than for native joint infection as demonstrated in the knee literature. Intraoperatively, frozen section should be considered when a diagnosis of infection has not been established even in the presence of clinical suspicion. Gram stain is currently not recommended because of its low sensitivity and negative predictive value. Intraoperative culture is critical and should be performed whenever there is clinical suspicion of infection. Unexpected positive intraoperative cultures are not uncommon, and 6% to 25% of them appear to represent true infection as demonstrated with positive follow-up cultures or subsequent development of infection. In revision shoulder arthroplasty, determining the presence of infection can be difficult. A standardized approach is needed to determine the best course of treatment in this particular clinical setting.