Shoulder Replacement in End-Stage Rotator Cuff Tear Arthropathy: 5- to 11-Year Follow-up Analysis of the Bi-Polar Shoulder Prosthesis

Between 1991 and 1997, 49 patients with rotator cuff arthropathy underwent 52 Bi-Polar shoulder replacements and were followed for 5–11 years (average follow-up 6.7 years). Active forward flexion increased an average of 35.2° (from 45° preoperatively to 80.2° postoperatively). UCLA scores improved from 8.4 (range 4–16) preoperatively to 24.3 (range 15–35) postoperatively. Average age- and sexadjusted Constant scores were 83.4% and ASES index was 68.5 points at the time of final review. Two shoulders (3.8%) were revised — both secondary to periprosthetic fracture requiring long-stem implants. Probability of survival at 11 years using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates was 93.3% (95% Cl: 84%–100%). Bipolar shoulder arthroplasty is an effective way to treat end-stage rotator cuff arthropathy with clinical results as good or better than those reported in the literature for hemiarthroplasty and total shoulder replacement with reasonable follow-up. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 16(3):123–130, 2007)