Patient-reported activities after bilateral reverse total shoulder arthoplasties

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is effective for pain relief and functional improvement.
• Patient satisfaction with RSA is generally high.
• Internal rotation limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) are a known concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of patients with bilateral RSA in various ADLs.
• To assess functional outcomes and patient satisfaction after bilateral shoulder replacement.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 31 patients who underwent primary bilateral RSA.
• Average patient age was 76 years, with an average follow-up of 2.7 years post-second surgery.
• Outcomes assessed included ease of performing specific ADLs.

Main Results:

• Clinical parameters were favorable across all patients.
• Most patients easily managed toileting (100%) and reaching their back pocket (87%).
• Significant difficulty was reported for washing the back (29%) and bra fastening (39%), indicating limitations in extreme internal rotation.

Conclusions:

• Bilateral RSA provides substantial functional benefits and high patient satisfaction.
• While most ADLs are manageable, limitations persist in activities requiring significant internal rotation.
• Outcomes were comparable to unilateral arthroplasty types.