A comparative analysis of work-related outcomes after humeral hemiarthroplasty and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

Background The return to work of young patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty is increasingly important. Whereas studies have shown superior outcomes of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) compared with humeral hemiarthroplasty (HHA), no prior literature has compared RTSA with HHA in regard to return to work. Methods A retrospective review of a prospectively collected shoulder arthroplasty registry was performed to analyze all patients who underwent RTSA or HHA at a single institution. A validated questionnaire evaluating return to work postoperatively was administered at baseline and at follow-up in addition to the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and visual analog scale (VAS) pain surveys. Results The study included 40 RTSA and 41 HHA patients. The average age at surgery was 68.6 years in the RTSA group and 60.8 years in the HHA group ( P