Do Preoperative and Postoperative Glenoid Retroversion Influence Outcomes After Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Radiology

Background:

• Limited data exists on the impact of glenoid retroversion on clinical outcomes after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA).
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for optimizing surgical techniques and patient results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether surgical correction of glenoid retroversion influences clinical outcomes in patients undergoing RTSA.
• To assess the correlation between glenoid version and patient-reported functional scores and range of motion.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 177 patients who underwent primary RTSA with a minimum 2-year follow-up.
• Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were used to measure glenoid version.
• American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores and range of motion were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Postoperative ASES scores significantly improved compared to preoperative scores (P < .0001).
• Mean glenoid retroversion decreased postoperatively (9.1° to 6.5°, P < .0001).
• No significant correlation was found between ASES scores and either preoperative or postoperative glenoid retroversion (P > .05).

Conclusions:

• Patient-reported outcomes and range of motion following RTSA appear to be independent of preoperative or postoperative glenoid retroversion.
• These findings suggest that focusing on glenoid version correction may not be a primary driver of short-term functional success in RTSA.