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Updated: Jul 2, 2025
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty for Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tear After Radial to Axillary End-to-Side Transfer: A Case
Omar Protzuk1, R Cole Schmidt1, Justin M Craig2
1Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems, Richmond, Virginia.
Case:
A 60-year-old man sustained a massive irreparable rotator cuff tear and axillary nerve palsy with deltoid dysfunction after an anterior shoulder dislocation. He underwent staged reverse end-to-side radial-to-axillary nerve transfer with return of deltoid function allowing for subsequent reverse shoulder arthroplasty. At 1 year postoperatively, he returned to full activity.
Conclusion:
Irreparable rotator cuff tears complicated by axillary nerve palsy can be effectively treated with a staged approach of nerve transfer followed by reverse shoulder arthroplasty.
