Emerging safety concerns in elderly patients undergoing shoulder surgery

Abstract

Recently, shoulder surgery, including open and arthroscopic total shoulder arthroplasty, has been increasingly performed [1]. In the United States, the number of patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty has more than doubled between 2005 and 2013 [2]. With an increasing elderly population, the prevalence of degenerative shoulder diseases has also increased, which may contribute to the rising number of shoulder surgery performed. Considering that elderly patients have various comorbidities, complications and problems related to anesthesia and surgery emerge together.