Retrospective cohort study of 33 shoulders (30 patients) treated with hemiarthroplasty for glenohumeral arthritis combined with massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears, followed a mean of 5 years. Asks: what are the clinical and radiographic outcomes, and which factors predict a worse result?
When considering hemiarthroplasty for cuff-tear arthropathy, counsel patients that pain relief is likely but functional gains are modest — and if they've had a prior acromioplasty with takedown of the coracoacromial ligament, warn them that anterosuperior instability is a significant risk.
Don't try to compensate with an undersized head to repair the cuff or an oversized head to gain stability; the data don't support either strategy.
Retrospective cohort study of 33 shoulders (30 patients) treated with hemiarthroplasty for glenohumeral arthritis combined with massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears, followed a mean of 5 years. Asks: what are the clinical and radiographic outcomes, and which factors predict a worse result?
When considering hemiarthroplasty for cuff-tear arthropathy, counsel patients that pain relief is likely but functional gains are modest — and if they've had a prior acromioplasty with takedown of the coracoacromial ligament, warn them that anterosuperior instability is a significant risk.
Don't try to compensate with an undersized head to repair the cuff or an oversized head to gain stability; the data don't support either strategy.