Reverse Shoulder Replacement: Forward Thinking in Acute Fracture—Affirms

Proximal humerus fractures continue to be a difficult and complicated problem to treat. Surgical treatment options have included fracture fixation versus hemiarthroplasty. Historically, elderly patients with metaphyseal and tuberosity comminution have had poor results after hemiarthroplasty with pain and substantial loss of motion. Multiple studies have shown that these results are due to tuberosity mal- or nonunion. Recently, reverse shoulder arthroplasty has become a viable salvage operation after failed hemiarthroplasty for fracture. Promising results from these operations may extend the indications for reverse shoulder arthroplasty to include proximal humerus fractures that will likely have tuberosity mal- or nonunion.

Keywords: reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, proximal humeral fractures, hemiarthroplasty