Outcomes after bilateral shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review

Abstract

The purpose of this systematic review was to report outcomes after bilateral shoulder arthroplasty including bilateral total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), bilateral reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), and ipsilateral TSA with contralateral RSA (TSA/RSA). Two reviewers independently performed a PRISMA-guided systematic search using MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews up to May 11, 2021. The databases were queried using the following search terms: (["bilateral" OR "contralateral"] AND "shoulder" AND ["arthroplast∗" OR "replacement"]). A total of 486 titles/abstracts were screened for eligibility and 19 studies were included in the final analysis. Risk of bias was assessed using Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies and Modified Coleman Methodology scores. Analysis compared overall results for bilateral shoulder arthroplasty and sub-group analyses compared TSA (all shoulders from bilateral TSA patients and the TSA shoulder in TSA/RSA patients) to RSA (all shoulders from bilateral RSA patients and the RSA shoulder in TSA/RSA patients), first shoulder arthroplasty to second contralateral shoulder arthroplasty, and interval between arthroplasty (IBA) <20 months to IBA ≥20 months. Nineteen studies analyzed bilateral TSA (n = 3), bilateral RSA (n = 7), and TSA/RSA (n = 8). The mean Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies was 18 and mean Modified Coleman Methodology Score was 74, with 63.2% of studies demonstrating level III evidence. A total of 2729 patients (30.4% male; mean age 72.2 years, mean follow-up 47.3 months, mean IBA 20 months) were analyzed. Postoperative forward flexion (142.0° vs. 129.6°), external rotation (ER) (42.5° vs. 25.6°), and internal rotation (60% reaching T12-T8 vs 85.7% reaching L3-L1) were higher for TSA when compared to RSA. Patient reported outcome measures such as Constant-Murley (73.2 vs. 59.2), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (87.9 vs. 77.7), and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) (86.9 vs. 67.8) were higher for TSA when compared to RSA. Patients with IBA ≥20 months demonstrated greater ER and patient satisfaction than patients with IBA <20 months. Postoperative complication rates were 15.1% for TSA and 10.6% for RSA, while reoperation and revision rates were 13.7% for TSA and 7.1% for RSA. Bilateral shoulder arthroplasty results in improvements in motion, strength, pain, function, and high satisfaction. Bilateral TSA is associated with greater improvement in motion and function than bilateral RSA but higher complication, reoperation, and revision rates. IBA ≥20 months is associated with greater ER and satisfaction than IBA <20 months.

Keywords: Bilateral shoulder arthroplasty; complications; outcomes; reverse shoulder arthroplasty; timing; total shoulder arthroplasty.