Primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty in patients with pulmonary hypertension: an underlying condition associated with high perioperative mortality and complications

Abstract

BackgroundPulmonary hypertension is a progressive medical condition that has been identified as a risk factor for perioperative morbidity and mortality in both cardiac and non-cardiac surgery, including hip arthroplasty. Currently, there is very limited information on the impact of pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) on patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty. This investigation analyzed the mortality, perioperative medical complications, implant survivorship, and clinical outcomes in this medically complex cohort. MethodsBetween January 2000 and July 2018, 380 primary and 59 revision shoulder arthroplasties were performed at a single institution in patients with a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension prior surgery. Average age was 72.8 ± 11.0 and 72.1 ± 9.5 years for the primary and revision SA groups, respectively (P= .65). The median American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores were predominantly class 3 in both cohorts. Descriptions of group characteristics were calculated with student tests for numerical values. Mortality after primary and revision shoulder arthroplasties were individually calculated through a cumulative incidence analysis. Implant survivorship was analyzed with a competing risk model selecting death as the competing risk. ResultsThe 90-day mortality was 1.6% for primary and 3.4% for revision SA, respectively. The cumulative incidences of death at 2, 5, 10, and 15 years were 16.5%, 43.3%, 80.8%, and 88.5% for primary and 12.1%, 44.7%, 64.4%, and 100% for revision arthroplasties, respectively. Medical complications were observed in 13.4% of primary and 42.4% of revision shoulder arthroplasties. These included respiratory failure and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (3.2%), arrhythmia (2.7%), deep vein thrombosis (1.8%), and pulmonary embolism (1.6%). The 10-year cumulative incidences of revision for any reason were 4.5% in primary and 10.4% in revision shoulder arthroplasties. At final follow-up, the mean VAS and ASES scores were 2.3 ± 2.5 and 72.0 ± 18.5 in primary SA and 4.1 ± 2.9 and 51.8 ± 21.8 in revision SA. ConclusionsA concomitant diagnosis of PHTN in patients undergoing primary or revision shoulder arthroplasty was associated with a high rate of perioperative medical complications and mortality rates at 90 days and at 10 years in both cohorts. This information should be considered to counsel patients, optimize their perioperative management, and anticipate a more complicated and costly postoperative recovery. Level of EvidenceLevel IV; Case Series with no Comparison Group