Isoelastic shoulder prostheses. Considerations on use and results

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Biomedical engineering
• Reconstructive surgery

Background:

• Isoelastic shoulder prostheses are utilized for complex shoulder reconstructions.
• Reconstruction of the shoulder joint presents significant challenges, particularly regarding functional recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the principles of isoelastic shoulder prosthesis use.
• To report the outcomes of isoelastic shoulder prostheses in patients with specific pathologies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 8 patients treated with isoelastic shoulder prostheses.
• Prostheses were used for pseudarthrosis of the humeral neck (2 cases) and osteolytic neoplasms (6 cases).
• Functional outcomes were assessed after an average follow-up of 4 years.

Main Results:

• Full shoulder movement was not achieved in any patient.
• Partial recovery of movement was observed in 6 out of 8 patients.
• No significant functional recovery was noted in 2 patients.
• Functional results correlated with the extent of surgical resection; conservative resections with tendinous insertion reconstruction yielded better outcomes.
• Limited reconstruction of external rotator muscle insertions impacted movement recovery.

Conclusions:

• Isoelastic shoulder prostheses can provide partial functional recovery in selected cases.
• The preservation and reconstruction of rotator cuff insertions are critical for optimizing functional outcomes.
• Challenges remain in fully restoring shoulder mobility, especially external rotation.