Shoulder Replacement

What is Shoulder Replacement?

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint capable of rotating through a greater range of motion than any other joint in your body. Losing this mobility can make damage or injury to the shoulder joint particularly difficult to live with. Shoulder replacement is a surgical procedure that removes damaged tissue from your shoulder joint and replaces it with artificial components.

The expert team of orthopaedic surgeons at Capitol Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation perform shoulder replacement procedures to relieve shoulder pain and restore normal function to the joint. Depending on your needs, they may replace both the ball and the socket or just the ball of your shoulder joint.

Why Would I Need Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Several illnesses and injuries can cause long-term shoulder pain and mobility loss that may lead you to consider shoulder replacement surgery. The team at Capitol Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation offer shoulder replacement to treat the following conditions:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Post-traumatic arthritis
• Long-standing rotator cuff tear
• Severe shoulder fracture
• Failed previous shoulder replacement

Avascular necrosis, or osteonecrosis, is another painful condition that may require shoulder replacement. Osteonecrosis causes bone tissue to die when the blood supply is cut off for any reason.

What are the Different Types of Shoulder Replacement?

There are three main types of shoulder replacement procedures:

1. Total Shoulder Replacement: This is the most common procedure. Total shoulder replacement surgery replaces both the ball at the top of your upper arm bone and the socket it fits into. A metal ball replaces the bony ball on your arm and the socket gets resurfaced with smooth plastic.
2. Partial Shoulder Replacement: This procedure only replaces the ball at the top of your arm, while the socket remains unchanged.
3. Reverse Shoulder Replacement: This procedure replaces both the ball and socket but attaches each component to the opposite surface. Reverse shoulder replacement attaches the metal ball to your shoulder bone and your arm bone receives a socket implant.

The friendly and knowledgeable team at Capitol Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation thoroughly evaluate your condition to determine which procedure is right for you. After surgery, they offer on-site physical therapy for rehabilitation.

If you suffer from shoulder pain or stiffness, call Capitol Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation or book an appointment online.