THE BIPOLAR SMOULDER PROSTHESIS LONGER TERM RESULTS (5-10 YEARS) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PRIMARY GLENOHUMERAL OSTEOARTHRITIS

This is a prospective study in which we evaluate the 5-10 year results of BiPolar shoulder arthroplasty in 64 patients (71 shoulders) with primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Fifty two patients (56 shoulders) were followed for greater than 60 months (average 79months)1 and no patients were lost to follow Lip. The average age of the patient at operation was 72.5 years. The UCLA score increased from 10.8 preoperatively to 25,7 postoperatively. The final Constant score in this elderly subset of patients averaged $65\%$ (unadjusted). Eighty seven percent of patients were satisfied with their final result. Excellent pain relief was achieved with a VAS of 2.5 (0=no pain, 15=excruciating pain). Active anterior forward flexion improved from $45^{\circ}$ to $104^{\circ}$. Seventy five percent of patients reveal persisting head-shell motion at an average of 7 years. There were two reoperations because of humeral stem loosening; both stems should have been cemented at the initial arthroplasty. It is demonstrated that BiPolar shoulder arthroplasty is durable over time, with clinical results equivalent to that in the literature when compared with hemiarthroplasty and total shoulder replacement.