Comparison of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty vs Hemiarthroplasty for Acute Fractures of the Proximal Humerus: Systematic Review

The optimal treatment of proximal humerus fractures is debated; however, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has become increasingly popular as the primary treatment. We systematically reviewed the PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases to identify English-language clinical studies (evidence levels I through IV) comparing the results of RTSA with those of hemiarthroplasty (HA) for the treatment of acute proximal humerus fractures. We evaluated the following outcomes: Range of motion, patient-reported outcome measures (including pain relief), and complications. We identified eight published studies comparing RTSA with HA for treatment of acute proximal humerus fractures. The RTSA group (180 patients) showed significantly better postoperative pain relief, active anterior elevation, Constant-Murley scores, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores compared with the HA group (439 patients; all p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups for overall complications (RTSA, 11.8% vs HA, 20.8%), infections (2% for both groups), dislocations (RTSA, 0% vs HA, 2.5%), or nerve injury (RTSA, 1% vs HA, 2.8%). Scapular notching occurred in 15.8% of RTSA cases (grade I, 53%; grade II, 32%; grade III, 16%; and grade IV, 0%). In the treatment of acute proximal humerus fractures, RTSA provided better pain relief, postoperative anterior elevation, and outcome scores after surgery compared with HA and had similar complication rates.