Instability in reverse shoulder arthroplasty

The growing indications of reverse shoulder arthroplasty have led to a higher incidence of complications in this type of surgery, with instability being one of the most common complications. In this article, we will be discussing its main causes and how to react when facing this complication. Factors include BMI > 30 kg/m², male gender, subscapularis deficiency, previous shoulder surgery, proximal humeral fractures, and tuberosity nonunion. When facing reverse shoulder arthroplasty instability, the surgeon must analyze each case in search of a probable cause that could include a hematoma, an infection, a muscular or neurological insufficiency, or an implant defect for him to perform a well-tailored revision surgery. Unfortunately, even after careful planning, 30% of all cases will dislocate again, and that is why more studies need to be performed to achieve better clinical outcomes.