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Updated: Jul 10, 2025
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
Low complication rate following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty at 90-days follow-up - A systematic review
Louise M Kent1, Eoghan T Hurley1, Martin S Davey1
1Sports Surgery Clinic, Dublin D09 C523, Ireland; Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Importance:
As reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has become an increasingly common procedure, rates of post-operative complications leading to potential hospital readmission are of greater importance. No previous systematic reviews have focused exclusively on post-operative complications and mortality rates at 90 days post RTSA.
Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to review complication, readmission, and mortality rates within 90 days post RTSA.
Evidence Review:
Two independent reviewers performed a literature search using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Only studies reporting on outcomes of RTSA at 90-days follow-up specifically were considered for inclusion.
Findings:
Our search included 79,037 shoulders (62.1 % female) from a total of 15 studies with an average age of 72.4 ± 5.8 years. The overall 90-day re-admission rates were reported in nine studies as 6.1 % (4205/69,127) following RTSA. Additionally, a total of five studies reported the overall 90-day mortality rate as 1.1 % (19/1733). The overall pooled rate of medical complications was 3.9 % (2998/77,826) as reported in 13 studies, at 90-days post-RTSA, with the occurrence of anaemia being the most commonly reported outcomes as 2.9 % (1013/34,385) in six studies. The overall rate of surgical complications was 1.1 % reported in 13 studies (1327/77,826), with the pooled rate of surgical revisions of 1.5 % (607/40,563) at 90-days follow-up. A total of 8, 5, and 3 studies reported rates of dislocation, requirement for closed reduction and glenoid loosening as 0.9 % (344/37,995), 0.6 % (7/1180), and 0.3 % (30/9115) respectively at 90-days following RTSA.
Conclusions And Relevance:
This study established that the overall rates of mortality and medical and surgical complications are low in the short-term following RTSA, with only 6 % of patients requiring re-admission in the first 90 days.
Level Of Evidence:
IV - Systematic Review of all levels of evidence.
