Load transfer after cemented total shoulder arthroplasty

Background d loosening is the primary reason for failure after a total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), but the failure mechanism is not yet known. This study determined how the load transfer and stress distribution are affected by the introduction of a glenoid implant. s eloped a finite-element model of a scapula with and without a virtually implanted modern glenoid prosthesis design. Two load magnitudes were considered: normal and high. Loading locations were simulated at the center and at 4 eccentric positions on the glenoid. A metal-backed implant was also simulated to understand the effect of fixation stiffness. s intact glenoid, for both center and eccentric loading, the majority of stress was distributed in the cancellous bone, whereas after a reconstruction, stresses in that region were lower. Metal-backed implants further decreased the joint load carried by the bone. Stresses in the cement layer increased during eccentric and high-magnitude loading. sion tudy provided a basic understanding of the load-sharing phenomenon after a TSA that could explain glenoid loosening failure. Our results suggest that with reconstruction of the glenoid with a contemporary implant, the load transfer pattern is significantly altered, with eccentric and high-magnitude loads increasing stresses in the cement indicating potential for failure. The use of a metal-backed implant reduces the load carried by the bone, which may be detrimental to long-term TSA survival.