The utilization of different reconstructive techniques for rotator cuff arthropathy, complex fractures of the proximal humerus and pathologies that involve the glenohumeral joint, has become a controversial issue in orthopaedic surgery nowadays. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate early outcomes of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis with a rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff arthropathy three and four part humerus fractures and proximal comminuted displaced humerus fractures in a group of Latin-American patients.
Methods: Between July 2006 and February 2008, fourteen patients underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with the use of Delta III shoulder prosthesis (Depuy France, Saints Priest, France) at the Hospital Buen Samaritano in Puerto Rico. All patients were evaluated by an independent examiner who performed a clinical pre-operative and post-operative evaluation with the use of the Constant & Murley (ref) and the UCLA (ref) scores, as well as measuring active shoulder range of motion.
Results: All fourteen patients were seen at clinics. The mean duration of follow up was 9.5 months [+/- 6 S.D.] with a range of 1 month to 20 months of follow up.
Discussion: In our study we have shown that the reverse total shoulder replacement is a successful surgery, the mean improvement in the outcome scores have been significant in all patients, been the greatest improvement in the arthropathy groip. (Table II and Table III).