Reverse shoulder arthroplasty for massive cuff tears in patients <65 years: An age-old dilemma

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty has proven an effective pain-alleviating treatment option for rotator cuff tear arthropathy and has gained popularity since its reintroduction to the U.S. After several initial iterations and failures in the 1970s, the prosthesis was removed from the market due to high complication rates before being retooled and approved in 2004. Upon reintroduction, the FDA-recommended indication age was 70 years. We review the history and common complications of reverse arthroplasty before discussing its use in addressing massive cuff tears in younger patients. While only based on early follow-up, this third-generation implant gives cause for guarded optimism.