This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Surgical treatment of proximal humeral fractures decreased from 2009 to 2012
Recently published results showed a decrease in the percentage of surgically treated proximal humeral fractures in the Medicare population from 2009 to 2012, going from 16.2% to 13.9%, and found a significant increase in reverse shoulder arthroplasty and a decrease in hemiarthroplasty.
Utilizing the PearlDiver database, researchers retrospectively reviewed information for Medicare patients who had proximal humeral fractures treated with hemiarthroplasty, reverse shoulder arthroplasty or open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF) from 2009 to 2012 for total use, annual utilization rates, age and gender.
Jonathan C. Levy
Overall, results showed 32,150 proximal humeral fractures were treated operatively in the Medicare population during the 4-year study period, with hemiarthroplasty as the most commonly performed procedure followed by ORIF and reverse shoulder arthroplasty. However, researchers noted a decrease in utilization of the hemiarthroplasty procedure from 52% in 2009 to 39% in 2012, while reverse shoulder arthroplasty increased from 11% to 28%. Researchers also noted no significant change in the utilization rate for ORIF.
The total number of arthroplasties performed decreased 7% in patients older than 65 years and 2.3% in patients younger than 65 years, according to results. Researchers found an increase of reverse shoulder arthroplasty in patients older than 65 years of 11% in 2009 to 28% in 2012, which was associated with a significant decrease of 13.5% of hemiarthroplasty cases. However, results showed patients older than 65 years underwent hemiarthroplasty more often, while patients younger than 65 years more commonly underwent ORIF. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: Rosas reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.