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Updated: Jul 5, 2025
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Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
43.2K
Drain use can be avoided in reverse shoulder arthroplasty.
Beatriz Garcia-Maya1, Sara Morais2, Jesus Diez-Sebastian3
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital Universitario Infanta Elena, Av. de los Reyes Catolicos, 21, 28342 Valdemoro, Spain.
Injury
|January 15, 2024
Summary
Drain use in shoulder arthroplasty does not reduce complications or blood loss. However, it is associated with a longer hospital stay, suggesting drains are an unnecessary intervention.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Surgical Complications
Background:
- Drains in hip and knee replacements show no clear benefits and potential harm.
- Evidence on drain use in shoulder arthroplasty is limited.
- Hypothesis: Drains increase blood loss and do not reduce wound complications in shoulder arthroplasty.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of closed-suction drains on postoperative blood loss and wound complications in reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA).
- To determine if drain use impacts hospitalization length after RSA.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective comparative study of 103 reverse shoulder arthroplasties (RSA).
- Patients were divided into those who received a drain and a control group.
- Recorded complications, hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Htc.) levels, and hospitalization length.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in blood loss (∆Hb, ∆Htc) or complication rates between drain and no-drain groups in degenerative or fracture-related RSA.
- Drain use was associated with a significantly longer hospital stay in elective surgery.
- Patients with coagulopathy experienced higher bleeding and were excluded.
Conclusions:
- Drain use after shoulder arthroplasty does not affect postoperative bleeding or complication rates.
- Drain use is linked to increased hospitalization duration.
- Drains appear to be an unnecessary intervention in RSA, potentially increasing costs and safely abandoned.
