Patient Specific Implants in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Authors

Alexander Zavitsanos, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Abstract

Primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the United States, and is expected to be utilized more in the coming decades, with estimates of around 2 million TJAs performed annually by 2030.^1,2 While the first attempts at TJA occurred in the late 1800s, utilizing a variety of implant materials such as ivory and rubber, over the past 100+ years, the methods employed in TJA and the quality of implants used have progressed immensely with advances in material science and procedural methods^8-12. However, the implants currently used in all types of TJA have room for improvement, as cost, operative time, patient outcomes, and complications are still not ideal.^3-7 To solve these problems, the field of orthopedic surgery has slowly begun to develop patient-specific procedures and implants.⁸ Personalized medicine can have a variety of shapes and forms but patient specific implants as discussed in this piece entail: devices that are designed specifically for the patient they will be implanted in. These necessary geometric features of these implants are acquired through the use of 3D and other advanced imaging capabilities in order to ensure their adequacy on a patient by patient basis.

Recommended Citation

Zavitsanos, Alexander (2025) "Patient Specific Implants in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty," Bone Bulletin: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 8.
Available at: https://jdc.jefferson.edu/bone_bulletin/vol3/iss1/8