Survey of Expert Opinion Regarding Peri-operative Management of Shoulder Arthroplasty

Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) surgery have gained popularity for their ability to address a range of shoulder pathologies. Despite increasing data on shoulder arthroplasty management and outcomes, a “gold standard” for perioperative care has yet to be defined, including preoperative optimization and postoperative rehab.

We surveyed the members of the American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES) regarding perioperative management of shoulder arthroplasty patients in three main domains: preoperative optimization, intraoperative protocols, and postoperative patient care. To this end, we hypothesized that fewer than 50% of perioperative management questions would garner 75% or more agreement. We also hypothesized that incorporating preoperative optimization, particularly for BMI, hemoglobin A1c, and the use of planning software, would correlate with a surgeon’s stage in career/practice volume.