To investigate the short-term clinical efficacy of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) in the treatment of glenohumeral osteoarthritis(GHOA)with massive rotator cuff tears (MRCT).

A retrospective analysis was performed on 15 glenohumeral osteoarthritis patients complicated with massive rotator cuff tears underwent primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty from January 2016 to December 2018 at General Hospital of Southern Theater Command. All the patients had persistent shoulder pain, dysfunction, and no damage to the deltoid muscle. The active range of motion (ROM) of shoulder was evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively (six months and one year). American Association of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery(ASES) shoulder score and University Of California at Los Angeles(UCLA) score were used to evaluate shoulder function. The X-ray and CT scan were used to assess the prevalence of surgery-related complications. ROM and evaluation scores were analyzed by t test.

All 15 patients completed the operation successfully and were followed up for 17 months (range 12~36 months). one year after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, active shoulder elevation(124±11)°was higher than preoperative (58±18)°(t=14.316, P<0.01), abduction(120±12)° was higher than preoperative(58±20)°(t=9.959, P<0.01), and internal rotation was better than preoperative. But there was no significant change in the active level of external rotation postoperative(26±8)° compared with preoperative(25±9)° (t=1.598, P>0.05). The ASES score(78±7)postoperative was significantly higher than that preoperative (33±8)(t=16.487, P<0.01), and the UCLA score postoperative (31±4) was significantly higher than that preoperative(15±3)(t=12.826, P<0.01).

GHOA with MRCT can be effectively treated with RTSA, which has achieved good early clinical results. However, there is no significant improvement in shoulder external rotation after surgery. It is necessary to evaluate the condition ofteres minor preoperatively.