Postoperative revision, complication and economic outcomes of patients with reverse or anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty at one year: a retrospective, United States hospital billing database analysis.

Background: Data on the 1-year postoperative revision, complication, and economic outcomes in a hospital setting after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) are sparse.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study using the Premier Healthcare Database, a hospital-billing data source, evaluated 1-year postoperative revision, complication, and economic outcomes of reverse (RTSA) and anatomic (ATSA) TSA for patients who underwent the procedure from 2015 until 2021. All-cause revisits, including revision-related events (categorized as either irrigation and débridement or revision procedures and device removals) and shoulder/nonshoulder complications were collected. The incidences and costs of these revisits were evaluated. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate the associations between patient characteristics and revision and complication occurrences and costs.

Results: Among 51,478 RTSA and 34,623 ATSA patients (mean [standard deviation] ages RTSA 71.5 [8.1] years, ATSA 66.8 [9.0] years), 1-year adjusted incidences of all-cause revisits, irrigation/débridement, revision procedures/device removals, and shoulder/nonshoulder complications were RTSA: 45.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 44.6%-45.5%), 0.1% (95% CI: 0.1%-0.2%), 2.1% (95% CI: 2.0%-2.2%), and 17.8% (95% CI: 17.5%-18.1%) and ATSA: 42.3% (95% CI: 41.8%-42.9%), 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1%-0.2%), 1.9% (95% CI: 1.8%-2.1%), and 14.4% (95% CI: 14.0%-14.8%), respectively; shoulder-related complications were RTSA: 12.4% (95% CI: 12.1%-12.7%) and ATSA: 9.9% (95% CI: 9.6%-10.3%). Significant factors associated with a high risk of revisions and complications included, but were not limited to, chronic comorbidities and noncommercial insurance. Per patient, the mean (standard deviations) total 1-year hospital cost was $25,225 ($15,911) and $21,520 ($13,531) for RTSA and ATSA, respectively. Revision procedures and device removals were most costly, averaging $22,920 ($18,652) and $26,911 ($18,619) per procedure for RTSA and ATSA, respectively. Patients with revision-related events with infections had higher total hospital costs than patients without this event (RTSA: $60,887 (95% CI: $56,951-$64,823) and ATSA: $59,478 (95% CI: $52,312-$66,644)), equating to a mean difference of $36,148 with RTSA and $38,426 with ATSA. Significant factors associated with higher costs of revision-related events and complications included age, race, chronic comorbidities, and noncommercial insurance.

Conclusions: Nearly 45% RTSA and 42% ATSA patients returned to the hospital, most often for shoulder/nonshoulder complications (overall 17.8% RTSA and 14.4% ATSA, and shoulder-related 12.4% RTSA and 9.9% ATSA). Revisions and device removals were most expensive ($22,920 RTSA and $26,911 ATSA). Infection complications requiring revision had the highest 1-year hospital costs (∼$60,000). This study highlights the need for technologies and surgical techniques that may help reduce TSA health care utilization and economic burden.