Reverse shoulder arthroplasty and synthetic mesh for reconstruction of the shoulder joint after malignant bone tumor resection

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Introduction:</jats:title> <jats:p>A wide resection of malignant tumor including the deltoid insertion in the proximal humerus significantly worsens shoulder function. There are several reports about the reconstruction of the shoulder joint using reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) after tumor resection. However, there have been no reports of reconstruction using RSA and a polypropylene mesh in combination with the modified L’Episcopo procedure.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Patient concerns:</jats:title> <jats:p>An 83-year-old man complained of pain in his right shoulder.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Diagnosis:</jats:title> <jats:p>The patient was diagnosed with dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma in the proximal humerus based on pathological assessment.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Interventions:</jats:title> <jats:p>We excised the tumor with the proximal humerus including the deltoid attachment and reconstructed it with deltoid muscle by suturing it to polypropylene mesh covering the implant stem. We then performed a tendon transfer with the latissimus dorsi and teres major muscles in place of dissected posterior rotator cuffs as a modified L’Episcopo procedure.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Outcomes:</jats:title> <jats:p>The pathological diagnosis confirmed a negative margin. His shoulder function improved at the 1-year follow-up.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusion:</jats:title> <jats:p>Reconstruction of the deltoid insertion using a polypropylene mesh surrounding the stem of an internal prosthesis during RSA is an easy technique and achieves relatively favorable shoulder function.</jats:p> </jats:sec>