Workers' compensation claims and outcomes after reverse shoulder arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery
• Patient Outcomes Research

Background:

• Workers' compensation claims' impact on reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) outcomes remains unexamined.
• This study investigates RSA outcomes in patients with workers' compensation claims versus a control group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate functional outcomes and patient satisfaction after RSA in workers' compensation cases.
• To compare these outcomes against a matched control group without workers' compensation claims.

Main Methods:

• A prospective registry identified 14 primary RSAs in workers' compensation patients with ≥2 years follow-up.
• A matched control group of 14 patients without claims was selected.
• Outcomes assessed included Constant score, ASES, WOMOSSI, SEINE, mobility, and satisfaction.

Main Results:

• No demographic or preoperative differences existed between groups.
• Both groups showed significant functional improvement post-RSA (P < .001).
• Workers' compensation patients had worse Constant (P=.002), ASES (P=.003), and WOMOSSI (P=.001) scores and lower satisfaction (57% vs 93%).

Conclusions:

• Reverse shoulder arthroplasty yields significant improvements for workers' compensation patients.
• However, these patients experience demonstrably worse functional outcomes and satisfaction compared to non-compensated individuals.