Since its FDA clearance in 2003, reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has become increasingly utilized for the treatment of arthritis, fractures, and rotator cuff failures in the United States.

The development of postoperative scapular spine or acromial base fractures remains a difficult problem to treat. With a reported incidence of 1-10% in the literature, there has been no consensus on the best treatment, and most authors report poor post-fracture functional outcomes.

The role of the subscapularis in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) continues to be debated.

In this article, Somerson and colleagues queried the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database for failure modes of anatomic and reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

3D imaging technology has led to a much better understanding of glenoid morphology and how it is affected by the wear process in shoulder arthritis.

There continues to be significant debate on whether subscapularis repair is necessary during reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Historically subscapularis repair was felt to be necessary to provide anterior soft tissue stability and help prevent post-operative dislocation.

The authors of this study present a series of 47 total shoulder arthroplasties performed with trabecular metal-backed glenoid components, reporting radiographic and clinical outcomes at an average follow-up of 41 months.

The number of shoulder arthroplasty procedures is rapidly increasing. Therefore, shoulder revision is becoming a commonly performed procedure.