First time implementing the full reverse shoulder replacement technique in Vietnam

At the 2020 Annual Scientific and Training Conference organized by the University Hospital of Medicine and Pharmacy of Ho Chi Minh City (BV ĐHYD TPHCM), in the training session on “Shoulder replacement surgery” on October 31, the full reverse shoulder replacement technique will be implemented in Vietnam for the first time by orthopedic trauma surgeons.

To allow smooth movement of the shoulder joint, a muscular system is required, where the large outer muscle is the deltoid, and the inner is the rotator cuff tendons. The function of the rotator cuff is to stabilize the humeral head within the glenoid socket. The movement of the deltoid facilitates flexible shoulder rotation. When the joint undergoes degeneration, structural anatomical damage, or when the joint's anatomical structure remains intact but there is severe soft tissue injury in the rotator cuff pathology, the patient needs shoulder replacement surgery to restore mobility.

With the advances of modern medicine, alongside partial and total shoulder arthroplasty, patients have an additional treatment option: total reverse shoulder arthroplasty (also called Delta reverse shoulder replacement). This method helps preserve the function of the rotator cuff, allowing more comprehensive shoulder movement, shorter operative time, easier postoperative physical therapy, patients recover motion well after surgery, and have a shorter hospital stay (about 1 week after surgery) compared to conventional shoulder replacement surgeries. Total reverse shoulder arthroplasty is indicated in cases where patients have shoulder joint degeneration with rotator cuff tendon injuries such as severe rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder fracture‑dislocation injuries, recurrent shoulder dislocations due to trauma that cannot be addressed arthroscopically, humeral bone tumors, revision shoulder arthroplasty…

The preoperative X-ray image shows that the patient’s shoulder joint space is narrowed due to cartilage wear, bone spurs formed at the edge of the joint surface, and subchondral bone sclerosis.

In recent years, with the advancement of artificial shoulder joints, reverse total shoulder replacement surgery has become widespread in many countries worldwide and was applied for the first time in Vietnam within the framework of the 2020 Annual Scientific and Training Conference of the Ho Chi Minh City Orthopedic Hospital.

At the training session on “Shoulder Trauma Surgery”, doctors from the Orthopedic Trauma Department of Ho Chi Minh City University Hospital will conduct training and live demonstration, broadcasting the full reverse shoulder arthroplasty technique to delegates attending Hall 3A. The surgery was performed on patient T.H., 73 years old, residing in Ho Chi Minh City. Ms. H. was admitted with pain and loss of function of the right shoulder joint. For the past two years, Ms. H. could not use her right hand in daily activities such as brushing hair, dressing... After examination, X-ray and MRI, the doctors diagnosed that she had severe right shoulder osteoarthritis due to complications of rheumatoid arthritis. She was indicated for full reverse shoulder arthroplasty. The doctors said that applying this surgery helps the patient reduce pain, restore shoulder joint function so the patient can return to normal movement and daily activities as before.

Prof. Dr. Bùi Hồng Thiên Khanh, MSc. Dr. Dương Đình Triết and the team performed the surgery for the patient.

The full reverse shoulder replacement technique was broadcast live to delegates attending the conference at Hall 3A.