Shoulder arthrodesis with plate fixation: Functional outcome analysis

Fifty-seven patients underwent shoulder arthrodesis with a single plate. The technique utilized included both glenohumeral and acromiohumeral arthrodesis. A 10-hole plate was used for internal fixation. The position utilized was 30° abduction, 30° internal rotation, and 30° flexion. Forty-six patients underwent the procedure for brachial plexus injury, six patients for multidirectional shoulder instability, two patients for osteoarthritis, two patients for failed total shoulder arthroplasties, and one for infection. The patients were independently reviewed by a research clinician and their function assessed according to their ability to perform activities of daily living, subjective satisfaction with the procedure, and the degree of pain they felt in their shoulder. Fifty-four shoulders fused within 10° of the desired position. Three patients required secondary bone grafting. The complication rate was 14%. Patient satisfaction was highest in those patients undergoing the procedure for brachial plexus injury, osteoarthritis, and failed total shoulder arthroplasty (p = 0.0046). Four patients with multidirectional shoulder instability continued to complain of instability in spite of solid arthrodesis (p < 0.01). The difference in the cumulative activities of daily living score between the brachial plexus injury and poor hand function group and the multidirectional shoulder instability group and patients with other diagnoses was significant (p = 0.0001). Preoperative diagnosis, hand function, and work status were significant determinants of patient satisfaction and the cumulative activities of daily living score (p = 0.0001).