Bariatric surgery patients have 5-year risk of revision following total shoulder arthroplasty comparable to that of class III obesity patients

Abstract

Background

Obesity has been correlated with heightened risk of complications after orthopedic surgeries. Bariatric surgery (BS) is an effective tool commonly utilized for the reduction of body mass index. However, the impact of BS on complications in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) remains inadequately investigated. This study examines the 5-year risk of revision following TSA in patients with a history of BS compared to matched cohorts without history of BS.

Methods

Utilizing the PearlDiver Mariner database, a retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on over 157 million U.S. patients from January 2010 to October 2021. Inclusion criteria identified patients undergoing primary TSA with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Propensity-score matching was employed to control for covariates, comparing BS patients with a matched control and a matched class III obesity control without history of BS. Demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes, including 5-year cumulative incidence of revision were analyzed.

Results

The 5-year cumulative incidence of all-cause revision within the BS group was found to be 4.6%. While this represented a higher risk than that of the general population (hazard ratio 1.70; 95% confidence interval 1.21-2.39), there was no significant difference when compared to controls with class III obesity. The BS cohort had higher risk of revision secondary to dislocation/subluxation and rotator cuff tear than in the general population. When compared to the class III obesity cohort, only the risk of revision due to rotator cuff tear was found to be higher.

Conclusion

Individuals with a history of BS showed a higher risk of revision than a cohort without history of BS and an equivalent risk of revision compared to a cohort of class III obesity controls after undergoing TSA. Though obesity is an important risk factor for complications after TSA, BS might not be an effective tool for preoperative risk optimization.