Treatment of proximal humerus fractures using reverse shoulder arthroplasty: do the inclination of the humeral component and the lateral offset of the glenosphere influence the clinical outcome and tuberosity healing?

摘要

Abstract Introduction The employment of reverse shoulder arthroplasty for dislocated proximal humerus fractures of elderly patients becomes increasingly relevant. The standard inclination angle of the humeral component was 155°. Lately, there is a trend towards smaller inclination angles of 145° or 135°. Additionally, there has been an increased focus on the lateralization of the glenosphere. This retrospective comparative study evaluates clinical and radiological results of patients treated for proximal humerus fractures by reverse shoulder arthroplasty with different inclination angles of the humeral component, which was either 135° or 155°. Additionally, a different lateral offset of the glenosphere, which was either 0?mm or 4?mm, was used.Methods For this retrospective comparative analysis, 58 out of 66 patients treated by reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humerus fractures were included. The minimum follow-up was 24?months. Thirty (m?=?3, f?=?27; mean age 78?years; mean FU 35?months, range 24–58?months) were treated with a standard 155° humeral component?and a glenosphere without lateral offset (group A), while 28 patients (m?=?2, f?=?26; mean age 79?years; mean FU 30?months, range 24–46?months) were treated with a 135° humeral component?and a glenosphere with a 4 mm lateral offset (group B). We determined range of motion, Constant score, and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder score as clinical outcomes and evaluated tuberosity healing as well as scapula notching.Results Neither forward flexion (A?=?128°, B?=?121°; p?=?0.710) nor abduction (A?=?111°, B?=?106°; p?=?0.327) revealed differences between the groups. The mean Constant Score rated 63 in group A, while it was 61 in group B (p?=?0.350). There were no differences of the ASES Score between the groups (A?=?74, B?=?72; p?=?0.270). There was an increased risk for scapula notching in group A (47) in comparison to group B (4, p?=?0.001). Healing of the greater tuberosity was achieved in 57 of group A and in 75 of group B (p?=?0.142). The healing rate of the lesser tuberosity measured 33 in group A and 71 in group B (p?=?0.004).Conclusions Both inclination angles of the humeral component are feasible options for the treatment of proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients. Neither the inclination angle nor the lateral offset of the glenosphere seem to have a relevant influence on the clinical outcome. The healing rate of the lesser tuberosity was higher in implants with a decreased neck-shaft angle. There is an increased risk for scapula notching, if a higher inclination angle of the humeral component is chosen.Level of evidence III. Retrospective comparative study.