Abstract
Introduction: Surgical treatment of glenohumeral joint pathologies with both hemiarthroplasty and total shoulder arthroplasty have shown good results. Although techniques and designs have improved, patients do undergo revision surgery. Complications like chronic instability, inadequate function of the rotator cuff, infection and early component loosening become compromising on the result of shoulder arthroplasty. Revision surgery with the reverse Delta-III prosthesis is a promising treatment modality. The goal of this study was to evaluate the outcome of revision arthroplasty with Delta-III prosthesis after failed primary shoulder arthroplasty.
Material and methods: From 1996 till 2001, we retrospectively analysed 24 patients who underwent revision arthroplasty with a Delta-III-Prosthesis. Out of them 17 had been operated with a hemiarthroplasty and 7 with a total shoulder arthroplasty for different pathologies. Data assessment included pre- and postoperative subjective shoulder value and Constant score. Standard radiographs were performed at time of follow-up.
Results: At average follow-up time of 39 months, patient showed a significant pre- to postoperative gain in subjective shoulder value, relative constant score, active range of motion and strength together with reduction of pain (p< 0.05). No difference was seen in the outcome, if revision arthroplasty was performed after hemiarthro-plasty or total shoulder replacement. Complications were observed in more than 30% of the cases.
Conclusion: In case of failure of primary shoulder arthroplasty, revision with an inverse Delta-III prosthesis is a good treatment option. Good functional results are observed at short to mid term follow up. This outcome though is slightly compromised by a relatively high complication rate.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Roger Lemaire. Correspondence should be addressed to EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
