Total shoulder arthroplasty with minimum 5-year follow-up: does the presence of subchondral cysts in the glenoid increase risk of failure?

Background: This study evaluated the effect of cystic changes in the glenoid on postoperative outcomes and implant survival after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).

Materials And Methods: From 2004 to 2012, 75 patients underwent TSA for primary osteoarthritis with minimum 5-year follow-up. Preoperative 3-dimensional models based on computed tomography imaging were created for all patients. A qualitative evaluation of cystic osteoarthritis was performed through survey grading by 3 fellowship-trained shoulder surgeons. The extent of cyst formation in the glenoid (no cysts, small, medium, or large) was assigned for every patient. In addition, quantitative evaluation was performed on 3-dimensional glenoid models. Functional outcomes, radiographic findings, and the need for revision were compared between group 1 (large and medium cysts) and group 2 (small and no cysts).

Results: Qualitative evaluation of cyst formation resulted in the following distribution: no cysts in 8 patients (11%), small cyst formation in 27 (36%), medium cysts in 19 (25%), and large cysts in 21 patients (28%; κ = 0.605). The difference in total cyst volume between group 1 and group 2 was significant (P = .004). The overall revision rate was 7% (5 of 75). All revised patients were in the groups with medium or large cysts. There were no statistical differences in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Standardized Shoulder Assessment scores or presence of radiographic loosening among the study groups.

Conclusion: Qualitative computed tomography evaluation of cystic osteoarthritis correlates with quantitative analysis of cyst volume. Severe cyst formation portends a higher risk of failure at midterm follow-up. Cystic disease did not affect functional outcome or the presence of radiographic glenoid loosening.