Proximal humerus fracture dislocations are amongst the most severe proximal humerus injuries, presenting a challenging management problem. The aim of this study was to report on the long-term outcomes of the management of proximal humerus fracture dislocations. Patients with a proximal humerus fracture dislocation managed at a Level 1 trauma centre from January 2010 to December 2018 were included. Patients with an isolated tuberosity fracture dislocation or a pathological fracture were excluded. Outcome measures were the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), EQ-5D-5L, return to work, and radiological outcomes. Complications recorded included further surgery, loss of position/fixation, non-union/malunion, and avascular necrosis. A total of 69 patients were included with a proximal humerus fracture dislocation in the study period; 48 underwent surgical management and 21 were managed with closed reduction alone. The mean (SD) age of the cohort was 59.7 (±20.4), and 54% were male. Overall patients reported a mean OSS of 39.8 (±10.3), a mean EQ-5D utility score of 0.73 (±0.20), and 78% were able to return to work at a median of 1.2 months. There was a high prevalence of complications in both patients managed operatively or with closed reduction (25% and 38% respectively). In patients undergoing surgical management, 21% required subsequent surgery. Patient reported outcome measures post proximal humerus fracture dislocations do not return to normal population levels. These injuries are associated with a high prevalence of complications regardless of management. Appropriate patient counselling should be undertaken before embarking on definitive management

There is very limited literature describing the outcomes of management for proximal humerus fractures with more than 100% displacement of the head and shaft fragments as a separate entity. This study aimed to compare operative and non-operative management of the translated proximal humerus fracture. A prospective cohort study was performed including patients managed at a Level 1 trauma centre between January 2010 to December 2018. Patients with 2, 3 and 4-part fractures were included based on the degree of translation of the shaft fragment (≥100%), resulting in no cortical contact between the head and shaft fragments. Outcome measures were the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), EQ-5D-5L, and radiological outcomes. Complications recorded included further surgery, loss of position/fixation, and non-union/malunion. Linear and logistic regression models were used to compare management options. There were 108 patients with a proximal humerus fracture with ≥100% translation; 76 underwent operative management and 32 were managed non-operatively with sling immobilisation. The mean (SD) age in the operative group was 54.3 (±20.2) and in the non-operative group was 73.3 (±15.3) (p<0.001). There was no association between OSS and management options (mean 38.5(±9.5) operative vs mean 41.3 (±8.5) non-operative, p=0.48). Operative management was associated with improved health status outcomes; EQ-5D utility score adjusted mean difference 0.16 (95%CI 0.04-0.27, p=0.008); EQ-5D VAS adjusted mean difference 19.2 (95%CI 5.2-33.2, p=0.008). Operative management was further associated with a lower odds of non-union (adjusted OR 0.30, 95%CI 0.09-0.97, p=0.04), malunion (adjusted OR 0.14, 95%CI 0.04-0.51, p=0.003) and complications (adjusted OR 0.07, 95%CI 0.02-0.32, p=0.001). Translated proximal humerus fractures with ≥100% displacement demonstrate improved health status and radiological outcomes following surgical fixation. Patients with this injury should be considered for operative intervention

Complex proximal humerus fractures account for 10% of fractures in patients over 65 years of age. With the emergence of new implants, there is growing trend towards surgical management of these types of fractures, despite the lack of clinical evidence of its superiority over a conservative option. Orthopaedic surgeons' perception plays a large role in the surgical decision making for complex proximal humerus fractures in the elderly. No studies have been conducted to date to examine factors that influence the surgical decision-making in orthopaedic surgeons in regards to these types of fractures. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to orthopaedic surgeons. It included demographic questions as well as clinical vignettes assessing the risk / benefit perception of orthopaedic surgeons in different situations. Orthopaedic surgeons self-reported the proportion of proximal humerus fractures that were treated surgically in patients during the last year. Univariate analyzes were conducted to identify the factors that influenced the operation rates. A total of 127 orthopaedic surgeons completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 37%. The risk / benefit perception of surgical management varied according to the type of practice, year of training, operation rate as well as the ease of the surgeon in performing shoulder procedures (p < 0.05). According to the queried surgeons, the most important factors affecting their decision-making were patient's age, the type of fracture, co-morbidities, level of independence and potential for rehabilitation. The type of surgery proposed varied depending on the training and familiarity of the surgeon with the procedure. The risk / benefit perception of orthopaedic surgeons regarding surgical treatment of proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients appears to vary widely. The decision to opt for surgical management is influenced by the surgeon's familiarity with the procedure, their year of training and their subspecialty. This study demonstrates the need to establish a decision-making tool to assist orthopaedic surgeons and patients with this clinical decision

Proximal humeral fractures occur frequently, with fixed angle locking plates often being used for their treatment. However, the failure rate of this fixation is high, ranging between 10 and 35%. Numerous variables are thought to affect the performance of the fixation used, including the length and configuration of screws used and the plate position. However, there is currently limited quantitative evidence to support concepts for optimal fixation. The variations in surgical techniques and human anatomy make biomechanical testing prohibitive for such investigations. Therefore, a finite element osteosynthesis test kit has been developed and validated - SystemFix. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of variations in screw length, configuration and plate position on predicted failure risk of PHILOS plate fixation for unstable proximal humerus fractures using the test kit. Twenty-six low-density humerus models were selected and osteotomized to create a malreduced unstable three-part fracture AO/OTA 11-B3.2 with medial comminution which was virtually fixed with the PHILOS plate. In turn, four different screw lengths, twelve different screw configurations and five plate positions were simulated. Each time, three physiological loading cases were modelled, with an established finite element analysis methodology utilized to evaluate average peri-screw bone strain, this measure has been previously demonstrated to predict experimental fatigue fixation failure. All three core variables lead to significant differences in peri-screw strain magnitudes, i.e. predicted failure risk. With screw length, shortening of 4 mm in all screw lengths (the distance of the screw tips to the joint surface increasing from 4 mm to 8 mm) significantly (p < 0 .001) increased the risk of failure. In the lowest density bone, every additional screw reduced failure risk compared to the four-screw construct, whereas in more dense bone, once the sixth screw was inserted, no further significant benefit was seen (p=0.40). Screw configurations not including calcar screws, also demonstrated significant (p < 0 .001) increased risk of failure. Finally, more proximal plate positioning, compared to the suggested operative technique, was associated with reduced the predicted failure risk, especially in constructs using calcar screws, and distal positioning increased failure risk. Optimal fixation constructs were found when placing screws 4 mm from the joint surface, in configurations including calcar screws, in plates located more proximally, as these factors were associated with the greatest reduction in predicted fixation failure in 3-part unstable proximal humeral fractures. These results may help to provide practical recommendations on the implant usage for improved primary implant stability and may lead to better healing outcomes for osteoporotic proximal fracture patients. Whilst prospective clinical confirmation is required, using this validated computational tool kit enables the discovery of findings otherwise hidden by the variation and prohibitive costs of appropriately powered biomechanical studies using human samples

Proximal humerus fractures (PHF) are common, accounting for approximately 5% of all fractures. Approximately 30% require surgical intervention which can range from open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF) to shoulder arthroplasty (including hemiarthroplasty, total shoulder arthroplasty, (TSA) or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA)). The aim of this study was to assess trends in operative interventions for PHF in an Australian population. Data was retrospectively collected for patients diagnosed with a PHF and requiring surgical intervention between January 2001 and December 2020. Data for patients undergoing ORIF were extracted from the Medicare database, while data for patients receiving arthroplasty for PHF were obtained from the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR). Across the study period, ORIF was the most common surgical procedure for management of PHFs. However, since 2019, RTSA has surpassed ORIF as the most common surgical procedure to treat PHFs, accounting for 51% of operations. While the number of RTSA procedures for PHF has increased, ORIF and shoulder hemiarthroplasty has significantly reduced since 2007 (p < 0.001). TSA has remained uncommon across the follow-up period, accounting for less than 1% of all operations. Patients younger than 65 years were more likely to receive ORIF, while those aged 65 years or greater were more likely to receive hemiarthroplasty or RTSA. While the number of ORIF procedures has increased during the period of interest, it has diminished as a proportion of overall procedure volume. RTSA is becoming increasingly popular, with decreasing utilization of hemiarthroplasty, and TSA for fracture remaining uncommon. These trends provide information that can be used to guide resource allocation and health provision in the future. A comparison to similar data from other nations would be useful

Purpose. To evaluate the results of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for complicated proximal humerus fractures in old ages. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively evaluated 13 cases who underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humerus fracture, fracture-dislocation and nonunions of the fractures. Mean age was 77(68–87)years old and mean follow-up period was 15.2(12–26)months. four part fractures of proximal humerus in 7 cases, fracture-dislocation in 3 cases, locked dislocation with greater tuberosity in 2 cases, nonunion with defiency of rotator cuff in 1 case were included. We evaluated mean ASES, mean UCLA, mean KSS, mean SST and mean range of motion(ROM). Results. Postoperative mean ASES was 59(13–98.5), mean UCLA was 21(12–34), mean KSS was 62(21–94), mean SST was 5(1–11). Postoperative mean ROM was 103°(30°–135°) in forward flexion, 93°(30°–135°) in abduction, 21°(0°–45°) in external rotation and L4 level in internal rotation. The complications were not shown in any cases except for resolved heterotropic ossification. 4 cases demonstrated bony unions on greater tuberosity and 4 cases showed scapular notching on last follow-up. Conclusions. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for complicated proximal humerus fracture, nonunion of the fracture, or chronic locked dislocation seems to be a good treatment options. Regardless of bony union of the greater tuberosity, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for the complicated proximal humerus fractures had a satisfied results

Purpose. The best care paradigm for the older patient with proximal humeral fracture/dislocation is typically hemiarthroplasty, yet post-operative instability and suboptimal functional outcomes are commonplace. The aim of this study was to compare innovative treatment strategies designed to improve outcomes including: hemiarthroplasty combined with capsulolabral repair versus reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Methods. After IRB approval, analysis was performed on patients treated with arthroplasty for proximal humeral fracture/dislocation. Functional results and evidence of complication including instability (subluxation, dislocation) was determined. rTSA and hemiarthroplasty with capsulolabral repair were compared to hemiarthroplasy alone (control group). Results. 21 patients with proximal humeral fracture/dislocation (OTA 11-B3 & 11-C3) met the inclusion criteria and underwent hemiarthroplasty (n=8), hemiarthroplasty with capsulolabral repair (n=7), or rTSA (n=6). Patients undergoing rTSA (average age 70) were significantly older than patients undergoing hemiarthroplasty with capsulolabral repair (average age 59). Patients managed with rTSA had superior outcomes compared to hemiarthroplasty with or without capsulolabral repair. Forward flexion following rTSA was 115 degrees compared to hemiarthroplasty (85 degrees) and hemiarthroplasty with capsulolabral repair (85 degrees). Forward flexion was equivalent for both hemiarthroplasty groups but greater variability was noted for hemiarthroplasty without capsulolabral repair compared to hemiarthroplasty with capsulolabral repair reflected by a standard deviation of 48 vs 13 respectively. Instability was noted radiographically in the hemiarthroplasty cohorts including 37.5% versus 14% of cases when capsulolabral repair was performed. No patients underwent revision surgery at current followup (4 yr Hemiarthroplasty, 3yr Hemiarthroplasty with capsulolabral repair, 1yr rTSA). Conclusion. The best treatment option for the older patient with proximal humeral fracture/dislocation is yet to be determined. The addition of capsulolabral repair to hemiarthroplasty is a novel approach to improve stability yet stiffness continues to plague the hemiarthroplasty technique. Reverse TSA improves functional outcomes for proximal humeral fracture/dislocation compared to hemiarthroplasty yet long term implant durability and lack of significant revision options should be considered when this treatment option is utilized

Purpose:. To evaluate the results of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for complicated proximal humerus fractures in old ages. Materials and Methods:. We retrospectively evaluated 13 cases who underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humerus fracture, fracture-dislocation and nonunions of the fractures. Mean age was 77 years old and mean follow-up period was 15.2(12–26) months. four part fractures of proximal humerus in 7 cases, fracture-dislocation in 3 cases, locked dislocation with greater tuberosity in 2 cases, nonunion with defiency of rotator cuff in 1 case were included (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3). We evaluated mean ASES, mean UCLA, mean KSS, mean SST and mean range of motion (ROM). Results:. Postoperative mean ASES was 59(13–98.5), mean UCLA was 21(12–34), mean KSS was 62(21–94), mean SST was 5(1–11). Postoperative mean ROM was 103° in forward flexion, 93° in abduction, 21° in external rotation and L4 level in internal rotation. 4 cases demonstrated bony unions on greater tuberosity and 4 cases showed scapular notching on last follow-up. Conclusion:. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for complicated proximal humerus fracture, nonunion of the fracture, or chronic locked dislocation seems to be a good treatment options. Regardless of bony union of the greater tuberosity, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for the complicated proximal humerus fractures had a satisfied results. Key words: Shoulder, Proximal humerus fracture, Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

Introduction. The reliability of currently available proximal humeral fracture classi?cation systems has been shown to be poor, giving rise to the question whether a more objective measure entails improved predictability of surgical outcome. This study aims to apply a novel software system to predict the functional range of motion of the glenohumeral joint after proximal humeral fracture. Method. Using a validated system that simulates bone-determined range of motion of spheroidal joints such as the shoulder joint, we categorically analysed a consecutive series of 79 proximal humeral fractures. Morphological properties of the proximal humerus fractures were related to simulated bone-determined range of motion. Results. The interobserver variability of range of motion assessment using our system showed excellent agreement (0.798). Maximal glenohumeral abduction and forward ?exion of intra-articular fractures were 34.3±6.6 SE and 60.7±12.4 SE degrees. For fractures with a displaced greater tuberosity abduction was 75.0±5.9 SE and forward flexion was 118.2±4.9 SE degrees, whilst for fractures where both tuberosities had been displaced they were 60.0±10.9 SE and 69.6±13.4 SE degrees respectively. For non-intra articular fractures without displaced tuberosities movements were 89.3±3.3 SE and 122.6±3.4 SE degrees respectively. The head inclination angle was positively correlated with maximum abduction (0.362, p = 0.014). Offset was negatively correlated with maximum abduction, but not statistically signi?cant (0.834, p = 0.087). Conclusion. This study has demonstrated a novel and effective tool allowing the prediction of functional motion after proximal humeral fracture based on bone anatomy. The study demonstrates that intra-articular fractures generally have the worst prognosis with regards to bone-determined ROM. Fractures with displaced tuberosities show more motion limitations for abduction than for forward ?exion. A reduced head inclination angle is a strong predictor of limited bone-determined range of motion for all types of proximal humerus fractures

Various operative treatments have been proposed for proximal humeral fractures. The purpose of our study was to compare complications of plate versus nail for these proximal humeral fractures and to determine whether it is the implant or fracture and surgeon related factors which result in complications. We had 74 patients operated from March 2006 till June 2008 for displaced 3 (49pts) or 4 (25pts) part proximal humeral fractures. 43 had plating (PHILOS) and 31 had a humeral nail inserted. 57 patients were over 60 years at presentation while 17 were younger than 60. All patients were followed regularly radiologically. The functional outcomes were assessed by Quick DASH score and were comparable in both groups at 1 year postoperatively.18 of the 43 patients in the Plating group had a radiological complication with 9 cases of screw cut-out, 5 fractures maluniting and 1 nonunion. There was no case of osteonecrosis. In the nailing group, 13 patients had radiological complications, with 8 patients having varus malunion, 3 having proximal screw loosening and 1 having osteonecrosis apart from the clinical complications of impingement and rotator cuff problems. Given the similar complication rate and similar functional outcome achieved by both these techniques it is hard to determine if any one in particular is better than the other. The key determining factors for a proximal humeral fracture might actually be patient and surgeon related. It is important to achieve medial continuity and good initial reduction in these fractures to prevent them from collapsing into varus, especially with the nails. Also, patient age, osteoporosis and functional demand are factors determining success of surgery in these patients. We did not find the severity of the fracture to be a determining factor, maybe this was because the relative proportion of type 4 fractures in our series was less

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to compare implant survivorship and functional outcomes in patients undergoing reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) for acute proximal humeral fracture (PHF) with those undergoing elective RTSA in a population-based cohort study. Methods. Prospectively collected data from the New Zealand Joint Registry from 1999 to 2021 and identified 7,277 patients who underwent RTSA. Patients were categorized by pre-operative indication, including acute PHF (10.1%), rotator cuff arthropathy (RCA) (41.9%), osteoarthritis (OA) (32.2%), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (5.2%) and old traumatic sequelae (4.9%). The PHF group was compared with elective indications based on patient, implant, and operative characteristics, as well as post-operative outcomes (Oxford Shoulder Score [OSS], and revision rate) at 6 months, 5 and 10 years after surgery. Survival and functional outcome analyses were adjusted by age, sex, ASA class and surgeon experience. Results. Implant survivorship at 10 years for RTSA for PHF was 97.3%, compared to 96.1%, 93.7%, 92.8% and 91.3% for OA, RCA, RA and traumatic sequelae, respectively. When compared with RTSA for PHF, the adjusted risk of revision was higher for traumatic sequelae (hazard ratio = 2.29; 95% CI:1.12–4.68, p=0.02) but not for other elective indications. At 6 months post-surgery, OSS were significantly lower for the PHF group compared to RCA, OA and RA groups (31.1±0.5 vs. 35.6±0.22, 37.7±0.25, 36.5±0.6, respectively, p<0.01), but not traumatic sequelae (31.7±0.7, p=0.43). At 5 years, OSS were only significantly lower for PHF compared to OA (37.4±0.9 vs 41.0±0.5, p<0.01), and at 10 years, there were no differences between groups. Discussion and Conclusion. RTSA for PHF demonstrated reliable long-term survivorship and functional outcomes compared to other elective indications. Despite lower functional outcomes in the early post-operative period for the acute PHF group, implant survivorship rates were similar to patients undergoing elective RTSA

Purpose. Locking plate constructs for proximal humerus fractures can fail due to varus collapse, especially in the presence of osteoporosis and comminution of the medial cortex. Augmentation using a fibular allograft as an intramedullary bone peg may strengthen fixation preventing varus collapse. This study compared the ability of the augmented locking plate construct to withstand repetitive varus stresses relative to the non-augmented construct in cadaveric specimens. Method. Proximal humerus fractures with medial comminution were simulated by performing wedge-shaped osteotomies at the surgical neck in cadaveric specimens. For each cadaver (n=8), one humeral fracture was fixated with the locking plate construct alone and the other with the locking plate construct plus ipsilateral fibular autograft augmentation. The humeral head was immobilized and a repetitive, medially-directed load was applied to the humeral shaft until failure (significant construct loosening or humeral head screw pull-out). Results. No augmented construct failed, withstanding either 20 000 cycles or five times the cycles of the contralateral non-augmented construct [average (standard deviation) = 27958 (4633) cycles], while six of the eight non-augmented constructs failed (p=0.007). Failure in the six non-augmented constructs occurred after an average of 5928 (2543) cycles. Conclusion. Fibular allograft augmentation increased the ability of the locking plate construct to withstand repetitive varus loading. Clinically, this may assist proximal humerus fracture fixation in osteoporotic bone with medial cortex comminution

Treatment of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) is controversial in many respects, including the choice of surgical approach for fixation when using a locking plate. The classic deltopectoral (DP) approach is believed to increase the risk of avascular necrosis while making access to the greater tuberosity more difficult. The deltoid split (DS) approach was developed to respect minimally invasive surgery principles. The purpose of the present study (NCT-00612391) was to compare outcomes of PHF treated by DP and DS approaches in terms of function (Q-DASH, Constant score), quality of life (SF12), and complications in a prospective randomized multicenter study. From 2007 to 2016, all patients meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria in two University Trauma Centers were invited to participate in the study. Inclusion criteria were: PHF Neer II/III, isolated injury, skeletal maturity, speaking French or English, available for follow-up (FU), and ability to fill questionnaires. Exclusion criteria: Pre-existing pathology to the limb, patient-refusing or too ill to undergo surgery, patient needing another type of treatment (nail, arthroplasty), axillary nerve impairment, open fracture. After consent, patients were randomized to one of the two treatments using the dark envelope method. Pre-injury status was documented by questionnaires (SF12, Q-DASH, Constant score). Range of motion was assessed. Patients were followed at two weeks, six weeks, 3-6-12-18-24 months. Power calculation was done with primary outcome: Q-DASH. A total of 92 patients were randomised in the study and 83 patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months. The mean age was 62 y.o. (+- 14 y.) and 77% were females. There was an equivalent number of Neer II and III, 53% and 47% respectively. Mean FU was of 26 months. Forty-four patients were randomized to the DS and 39 to the DP approach. Groups were equivalent in terms of age, gender, BMI, severity of fracture and pre-injury scores. All clinical outcome measures were in favor of the deltopectoral approach. Primary outcome measure, Q-DASH, was better statistically and clinically in the DP group (12 vs 26, p=0,003). Patients with DP had less pain and better quality of life scores than with DS (VAS 1/10 vs 2/10 p=0,019 and SF12M 56 vs 51, p=0,049, respectively). Constant-Murley score was higher in the DP group (73 vs 60, p=0,014). However, active external rotation was better with the DS approach (45° vs 35°). There were more complications in DS patients, with four screw cut-outs vs zero, four avascular necrosis vs one, and five reoperations vs two. Calcar screws were used for a majority of DP fixations (57%) vs a minority of DS (27%) (p=0,012). The primary hypothesis on the superiority of the deltoid split incision was rebutted. Functional outcome, quality of life, pain, and risk of complication favoured the classic deltopectoral approach. Active external rotation was the only outcome better with DS. We believe that the difficulty of adding calcar screws and intramuscular dissection in the DS approach were partly responsible for this difference. The DP approach should be used during Neer II and III PHF fixation

Purpose

While treating fracture sequelae (FS) with unconstrained prostheses has been shown to give inferior or unpredictable outcomes, the literature is still scant regarding their treatment with reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). This study was performed to determine the suitability of RSA as a solution for FS with severe tuberosity malunion/nonunion and rotator cuff dysfunction, and to identify any useful preoperative prognostic factors.

Abstract. Introduction. There is little literature exploring clinical outcomes of secondarily displaced proximal humerus fractures. The aim of this study was to assess the rate of secondary displacement in undisplaced proximal humeral fractures (PHF) and their clinical outcomes. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study of undisplaced PHFs at Royal Derby Hospital, UK, between January 2018-December 2019. Radiographs were reviewed for displacement and classified according to Neer's classification. Displacement was defined as translation of fracture fragments by greater than 1cm or 20° of angulation. Patients with pathological, periprosthetic, bilateral, fracture dislocations and head-split fractures were excluded along with those without adequate radiological follow-up. Results. In total, 681 patients were treated with PHFs within the study period and out of those 155 were excluded as above. There were 385 undisplaced PHFs with mean age 70 years (range, 21–97years) and female to male ratio of 3.3:1. There were 88 isolated greater tuberosity fractures, 182 comminuted PHFs and 115 surgical neck fractures. Secondary displacement occurred in 33 patients (8.6%). Mean time to displacement was 14.8 days (range, 5–45days) with surgical intervention required in only 5 patients. In those managed nonoperatively, three had malunion and one had nonunion. No significant differences were noted in ROM between undisplaced and secondarily displaced PHFs. Conclusion. Undisplaced fractures are the most common type of PHF. Rate of secondary displacement is low at 8.6% and can occur up to 7 weeks after injury. Displacement can lead to surgery, but those managed conservatively maintain their ROM at final follow up

Aims. Early large treatment effects can arise in small studies, which lessen as more data accumulate. This study aimed to retrospectively examine whether early treatment effects occurred for two multicentre orthopaedic randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and explore biases related to this. Methods. Included RCTs were ProFHER (PROximal Fracture of the Humerus: Evaluation by Randomisation), a two-arm study of surgery versus non-surgical treatment for proximal humerus fractures, and UK FROST (United Kingdom Frozen Shoulder Trial), a three-arm study of two surgical and one non-surgical treatment for frozen shoulder. To determine whether early treatment effects were present, the primary outcome of Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) was compared on forest plots for: the chief investigator’s (CI) site to the remaining sites, the first five sites opened to the other sites, and patients grouped in quintiles by randomization date. Potential for bias was assessed by comparing mean age and proportion of patients with indicators of poor outcome between included and excluded/non-consenting participants. Results. No bias in treatment effect was observed overall for the CI site, or the first five sites, compared with the remaining sites in either trial. An early treatment effect on the OSS was observed for the first quintile of participants recruited to ProFHER only (clinically relevant difference of seven points). Selection bias for age was observed in the ProFHER trial only, with slightly younger patients being recruited into the study. Both trials showed some selection bias for markers of poor prognosis, although these did not appear to change over time. Conclusion. No bias in treatment effects overall were found at the CI or early sites set-up. An early treatment effect was found in one of the two trials, which was likely a chance effect as this did not continue during the study. Selection bias was observed in both RCTs, however this was minimal and did not impact on outcome. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(2):96–103

The primary objectives of this study were to: 1) identify risk factors for subsequent surgery following initial treatment of proximal humerus fractures, stratified by initial treatment type; 2) generate risk prediction tools to predict subsequent shoulder surgery following initial treatment; and 3) internally validate the discriminative ability of each tool. We identified patients ≥ 50 years with a diagnosis of proximal humerus fracture from 2004 to 2015 using linkable health datasets in Ontario, Canada. We used procedural and fee codes within 30 days of the index fracture to classify patients into treatment groups: 1) surgical fixation; 2) shoulder replacement; and 3) conservative. We used intervention and diagnosis codes to identify all instances of complication-related subsequent shoulder surgery following initial treatment within two years post fracture. We developed logistic regression models for randomly selected two thirds of each treatment group to evaluate the association of patient, fracture, surgical, and hospital variables on the odds of subsequent shoulder surgery following initial treatment. We used regression coefficients to compute points associated with each of the variables within each category, and calculated the risk associated with each point total using the regression equation. We used the final third of each cohort to evaluate the discriminative ability of the developed risk tools (via the continuous point total and a dichotomous point cut-off value for “higher” vs. “lower” risk determined by Receiver Operating Curves) using c-statistics. We identified 20,897 patients with proximal humerus fractures that fit our inclusion criteria for analysis, 2,414 treated with fixation, 1,065 treated with replacement, and 17,418 treated conservatively. The proportions of patients who underwent subsequent shoulder surgery within two years were 13.8%, 5.1%, and 1.3%, for fixation, replacement, and conservative groups, respectively. Predictors of reoperation following fixation included the use of a bone graft, and fixation with a nail or wire vs. a plate. The only significant predictor of reoperation following replacement was poor bone quality. The only predictor of subsequent shoulder surgery following conservative treatment was more comorbidities while patients aged 70+, and those discharged home following initial presentation (vs. admitted or transferred to another facility) had lower odds of subsequent shoulder surgery. The risk tools developed were able to discriminate between patients who did or did not undergo subsequent shoulder surgery in the derivation cohorts with c-statistics of 0.75–0.88 (continuous point total), and 0.82–0.88 (dichotomous cut-off), and 0.53–0.78 (continuous point total) and 0.51–0.79 (dichotomous cut-off) in the validation cohorts. Our results present potential factors associated with subsequent shoulder surgery following initial treatment of proximal humerus fractures, stratified by treatment type. Our developed risk tools showed good to strong discriminative ability in both the derivation and validation cohorts for patients treated with fixation, and conservatively. This indicates that the tools may be useful for clinicians and researchers. Future research is required to develop risk tools that incorporate clinical variables such as functional demands

Minimally displaced paediatric proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) can be reliably managed non-operatively, however there is considerable debate regarding the appropriate management of severely displaced PHFs, particularly in older children and adolescents with limited remodelling potential. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review to answer the questions: “What are the functional and quality-of-life outcomes of paediatric PHFs?” and “What factors have been associated with a poorer outcome?”. A review of Medline and EMBASE was performed on 4. th. July 2021 using search terms relevant to PHFs, surgery, non-operative management, paediatrics and outcomes. Studies including ≥10 paediatric patients with PHFs, which assessed clinical outcomes by use of an established outcome measure, were selected. The following clinical information was collected: participant characteristics, treatment, complications, and outcomes. Twelve articles were selected, including four prospective cohort studies and eight retrospective cohort studies. Favourable outcome scores were found for patients with minimally displaced fractures, and for children aged less than ten years, irrespective of treatment methodology or grade of fracture displacement. Older age at injury and higher grade of fracture displacement were reported as risk factors for a poorer patient-reported outcome score. An excellent functional outcome can be expected following non-operative management for minimally displaced paediatric PHFs. Prospective trials are required to establish a guideline for the management of severely displaced PHFs in children and adolescents according to fracture displacement and the degree of skeletal maturity

In Australia nearly two-thirds of arthroplasty procedures are performed in the private setting, which is disproportionate to the dimensioning 43.5% of the population with private health cover. The rapid growth of shoulder arthroplasty surgery will be absorbed by both private and public sectors. This study aimed to assess the influence of healthcare setting on elective shoulder arthroplasty outcomes, defined by revision rate, and functional measures. Data was collected on all primary procedures performed from 2004 – 2019 within a regional area of Victoria, Australia. Patients were categorised into private or public settings. Trauma cases for acute proximal humerus fractures were excluded. The primary outcome of revision surgery was recorded as a cumulative percentage, and survival analysis conducted to calculate a hazard ratio (HR). Functional outcomes were measured through range-of-motion (ROM) and multiple validated patient-reported-outcome-measures (PROMs). 458 patients were identified in the study: 290 private and 168 public. There was no difference in the revision rate (3.8% private, 4.8% public), with an adjusted HR of 1.25 (p=0.66) for public compared to private. Baseline and post-operative functional measures were significantly greater in the private setting for ROMs and PROMs analysis, in particular post-operative QuickDASH (15.9±14.7 to 32.7±23.5; p<0.001) and Oxford Shoulder Score (42.6±6.3 to 35.7±11.2; p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference for any of the functional measures in the amount of change from baseline to 12-months between settings. Although healthcare setting does not appear to influence revision rate for shoulder arthroplasty, clear differences were demonstrated for functional measures both pre and post operatively. This may be attributed to factors such as access to perioperative rehabilitation and should be an area to target future investigations

Reverse Total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) was initially introduced to treat rotator cuff arthropathy. With proven successful long-term outcomes, it has gained a noteworthy surge in popularity with its indications consequently being extended to treating various traumatic glenohumeral diseases. Several countries holding national registries remain a guide to the use the prosthesis, however a notable lack of epidemiological data still exists. More so in South Africa where the spectrum of joint disease related to communicable diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis may influence indications and patient demographics. By analysing the epidemiology of patients who underwent RTSA at our institution, we aimed to outline the local disease spectrum, the patients afflicted and indications for surgery. A retrospective review of all patients operated within the sports unit between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2022 was conducted. An analysis of the epidemiological data pertaining to patient demographics, diagnosis, indications for surgery and complications were recorded. Included in the review were 58 patients who underwent primary RTSA over the 4-year period. There were 41 females and 17 male patients, age <55 years (n= 14) >55 years (n=44). The indications included 23 rotator cuff arthropathy (40%), 12 primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA) (20%), 10 avascular necrosis (AVN) humeral head (17%), 7 inflammatory OA (12%), 4 chronic shoulder dislocation (7%) and 2 sequalae of proximal humerus fractures (4%). The study revealed RTSA being performed in patients older than 55 years of age, the main pathologies included rotator cuff arthropathy and primary OA, however AVN and shoulder dislocations secondary to trauma contributed significantly to the total tally of surgeries undertaken. This highlights the disease burden of developing countries contributing to patients presenting for RTSA