Management of Painful Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Despite the recent advances in surgical techniques, the percentage of painful shoulder arthroplasties is still high (more than 10%). The causes of residual pain after shoulder arthroplasty, and the resulting treatment solutions, are many and different. The most common complications of shoulder prosthesis are infections, aseptic loosening, modular components disassembling, metal hypersensitivity, and instability. There are also implant-related complications such as glenoid wear in hemiarthroplasty, rotator cuff tear in anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty, scapular notching, and acromion fracture in reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Several of these complications can be avoided with a careful selection of the implants, a proper surgical technique and a precise implant positioning. The execution of a more accurate preoperative planning and the possible use of patient-specific implants are expected to translate into better clinical results in the future. We provide the reader with recent evidence on the causes and therapeutic options of this condition.