Shoulder Joint Replacement

What is shoulder joint replacement?

During arthroscopic surgery, the doctor will remove damaged parts of the shoulder joint and replace it with artificial components made of safe, long-lasting materials. Through a smaller incision is into the shoulder that does not damage any of the rotator cuff tendons around the shoulder, any bone growths are removed, as well as the damaged section or entire joint. The prosthesis is then secured in place within the joint.

Preparing for shoulder surgery

We want you to have everything you need to be as comfortable as possible on your day of shoulder surgery. It’s also important to plan and prepare in the days leading up to surgery and to know what to expect when you get home.

View our shoulder surgery guidebook.

Reverse total shoulder replacement

If you have experienced a rotator cuff tear that is large, or may have developed a type of shoulder arthritis called “cuff tear arthropathy”, conventional total shoulder replacement may not be as effective as reverse total shoulder replacement. In a reverse total shoulder replacement operation, the socket and ball are switched, also using prosthesis of man-made materials. The ball is fixed to the socket and the plastic cup is fixed to the upper end of the arm bone. Different muscles are used to move the shoulder after this procedure, relying on the deltoid muscle rather than the rotator cuff muscle to power and position the arm.

Services

Sports Medicine

If you’ve had a sports-related injury or have a condition that’s keeping you out of the game, our sports medicine expert physicians and specialists are here to help you get back to doing the things you love.