Shoulder arthrodesis with plate fixation.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of shoulder arthrodesis with plate fixation and primary autogenous grafting in terms of pain, functional status and arthrodesis position.

METHODS

The study included 8 patients (7 males and 1 female; mean age: 39.3 years; range: 22 to 68 years) who underwent arthrodesis with plate fixation and primary autogenous grafting. Mean follow-up period was 66.6 (range: 47 to 96) months. Five cases had traumatic brachial plexus palsy, 2 polio sequela and 1 sequela of an operated proximal humerus fracture due to a falling injury. One of the traumatic palsy cases was accompanied with a humerus shaft fracture. Arthrodesis was performed in all cases according to AO principles with plate fixation and primary autogenous grafting. Five of the paralytic patients also underwent Steindler flexorplasty. Follow-up assessments included monthly radiologic control for union, the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the Oxford shoulder score (OSS) for functional status.

RESULTS

Radiological fusion was seen in all cases in an average of 16 (range: 12 to 18) weeks, and arthrodesis was stable at physical examination. The accompanying humerus shaft fracture was also fixed with plate. One patient with traumatic palsy experienced a humerus fracture distal to the arthrodesis plate at the 8th postoperative month. An additional traumatic palsy case had flexion deformity at the wrist in the second year of follow-up and a wrist arthrodesis with dorsal plate was performed. One patient (12.5%) had a donor site infection on the tenth day after surgery. The target positions of 30° of abduction, 30° of forward flexion, and 30° of internal rotation were achieved with an average deviation of 7°. Mean active abduction was 68.1° (range: 55° to 90°), flexion was 67.5° (range: 60° to 85°), and internal rotation was at the level of trochanter major. The mean OSS was 35.9 (range: 32 to 40), and the mean VAS score was 2.9 (range: 1 to 7).

CONCLUSION

Our findings show that AO reconstruction plate and primary autogenous bone grafting is a safe and effective arthrodesis method that can also be used as a salvage procedure.