Health status as an important outcome factor after hemiarthroplasty

Kabir, Koroush; Burger, Christof; Fischer, Philipp; Weber, Oliver; Florczyk, Andreas; Goost, Hans; Rangger, Christoph

doi:10.1016/j.jse.2008.06.008

« Previous Next »Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 75-82, January 2009

Health status as an important outcome factor after hemiarthroplasty

Koroush Kabir, MD
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Reprint requests: Koroush Kabir, MD, University Hospital Bonn, Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
Christof Burger, MD
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Philipp Fischer
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Oliver Weber, MD
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Andreas Florczyk, MD
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, St. Josef-Hospital, Engelskirchen, Germany
Hans Goost, MD
- Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Christoph Rangger, MD
- Department of Trauma Surgery, Nordwest Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany

Summary

The goal of this study was to determine functional results of hemiarthroplasty for 3- and 4-part proximal humeral fractures in elderly patients and to analyze factors affecting the outcome. Thirty-eight consecutive shoulders were treated with hemiarthroplasty after proximal humeral fracture. Two groups of patients with different health status were classified. Group I consisted of patients with 2 or less comorbidities and a maximum of 2 medications at the time of injury. Patients in group II had 3 or more comorbidities with a minimum of 3 medications at the time of injury. The mean of the absolute Constant score in group I was 41, compared to 27 in group II (P < .05). Furthermore, compliance of the patient and regular physiotherapy proved to be important prognostic factors. If primary hemiarthroplasty is not likely to be successful with a low functional score, this surgical procedure should be reconsidered especially in patients with more than three comorbidities.