Study findings show rapid acceptance of RSA in United States (Healio)
Schairer WW, et al. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2015;doi:10.1016/j.jse.2014.08.026.
Since its introduction in 2004, reverse shoulder arthroplasty has gained rapid acceptance, accounting for one-third of all shoulder arthroplasty procedures in the United States in 2011, according to study results.
Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, researchers identified an estimated 66,485 shoulder arthroplasty procedures performed in the United States in 2011. The researchers then identified indicating diagnoses, demographics and hospital characteristics for each shoulder arthroplasty procedure, and multivariate regression was used to identify factors associated with long hospital stays.
Results showed rotator cuff tear and arthritis and proximal humerus fracture were common diagnoses for reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). In 93% of cases, the researchers found total shoulder arthroplasty was performed for osteoarthritis, whereas hemiarthroplasty was performed for 45% of patients with osteoarthritis and 38% of proximal humerus fractures. Compared with 69.8% of proximal humerus fractures treated with arthroplasty that underwent hemiarthroplasty, one-quarter received RSA, according to the researchers.
Although mortality occurred in 0.08% of patients with atraumatic diagnoses, the researchers found it occurred in 0.53% of patients with proximal humerus fractures. Older patients with comorbidities, as well as patients with government insurance, often had longer hospital stays, according to the researchers. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: Schairer has no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.