This 2017 narrative review from the Rothman Institute synthesizes early clinical and radiographic outcomes across all published stemless shoulder arthroplasty series — both anatomic and reverse designs — asking whether metaphyseal-only fixation can match the performance of conventional stemmed humeral components.
When considering stemless shoulder arthroplasty, counsel patients that short-term outcomes and radiographic fixation are comparable to stemmed designs — but recognize that the absence of a diaphyseal stem removes your intraoperative reference for version and inclination, making precise humeral-head osteotomy technique critical to avoid varus malposition.
In reverse arthroplasty, stemless fixation faces greater biomechanical demands and early implant displacement has been reported, so patient selection (bone quality, indication) warrants extra scrutiny.
This 2017 narrative review from the Rothman Institute synthesizes early clinical and radiographic outcomes across all published stemless shoulder arthroplasty series — both anatomic and reverse designs — asking whether metaphyseal-only fixation can match the performance of conventional stemmed humeral components.
When considering stemless shoulder arthroplasty, counsel patients that short-term outcomes and radiographic fixation are comparable to stemmed designs — but recognize that the absence of a diaphyseal stem removes your intraoperative reference for version and inclination, making precise humeral-head osteotomy technique critical to avoid varus malposition.
In reverse arthroplasty, stemless fixation faces greater biomechanical demands and early implant displacement has been reported, so patient selection (bone quality, indication) warrants extra scrutiny.