What is a Total Shoulder Replacement?

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Article featured on Orthopaedic Institute Brielle Orthopaedics

Total shoulder replacement is a surgical procedure that treats severe shoulder osteoarthritis that does not respond to nonsurgical treatment options.

At The Orthopaedic Institute Brielle Orthopaedics our Shoulder Specialists have extensive experience and utilize the latest technology in performing shoulder replacement procedures.

The procedure is effective because it removes osteoarthritic bone and cartilage and replaces it with functional metal and plastic components that serve as a “new shoulder”. After recovery and physical therapy, patients experience tremendous pain relief and live normal lives with minimal restrictions.

Important procedure steps are:

  1.  Anesthesia. A Board Certified Anesthesiologist administers general anesthesia so no pain or discomfort is felt during the procedure.
  2. Incision. A small incision is made on the front of the shoulder. Muscles and soft tissues are retracted so the joint can be visualized.
  3. Bone preparation. The head of the humerus (arm bone) and glenoid cavity are carefully cut in preparation of implants.
  4. Trial implants. Trial implants are placed in the shoulder until the perfect size is found. A physical examination confirms the implants fit and the shoulder moves properly.
  5. Permanent implants. Biological cement is placed over the bones and permanent metal and plastic implants are put in place. Once the cement hardens, an additional physical examination is performed.
  6. Incision closure. Sutures and skin staples close the incision and sterile dressings cover it. A shoulder sling is put on to keep the shoulder in a neutral position.

Total procedure time is usually 1 hour depending on osteoarthritis severity and shoulder anatomy.

A short hospital stay is necessary for pain management, infection prevention and physical therapy purposes. In some cases, a partial total replacement (one bone is replaced) or reverse total shoulder (implant positions are reversed) replacement are performed.

It is always best to receive a shoulder osteoarthritis diagnosis as soon as possible. Early treatment relieves symptoms and prevents the chronic condition from becoming worse.

New Mexico Orthopaedics is a multi-disciplinary orthopedic clinic located in Albuquerque New Mexico. We have multiple physical therapy clinics located throughout the Albuquerque metro area.

New Mexico Orthopaedics offers a full spectrum of services related to orthopedic care and our expertise ranges from acute conditions such as sports injuries and fractures to prolonged, chronic care diagnoses, including total joint replacement and spinal disorders.

Because our team of highly-trained physicians specialize in various aspects of the musculoskeletal system, our practice has the capacity to treat any orthopedic condition, and offer related support services, such as physical therapy, WorkLink and much more.

If you need orthopedic care in Albuquerque New Mexico contact New Mexico Orthopaedics at 505-724-4300.

Shoulder Replacement Surgery: What to Know

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Medically Reviewed by Tyler Wheeler, MD on December 08, 2019 from WebMD
If your shoulder joint gets seriously damaged, you might need surgery to replace it. Before you have your procedure, you should know some things.

About Your Shoulder

The joint where your upper arm connects to your body is a ball-and-socket joint. The bone in your upper arm, called the humerus, has a round end that fits into the curved structure on the outside of your shoulder blade.
Ligaments and tendons hold it together. Ligaments connect the bones, while tendons connect muscles to the bone. A layer of tissue called cartilage keeps the bones apart, so they don’t rub against each other.
The ball and socket lets you move your arm up and down, back and forward, or in a circle.

Why You’d Need It Replaced

You may have to have it done if you have a condition that makes it painful and hard to use your arm, such as:

  • A serious shoulder injury like a broken bone
  • Severe arthritis
  • A torn rotator cuff

Your doctor will probably try to treat you with drugs or physical therapy first. If those don’t work, they may recommend surgery.
Shoulder replacement surgery is less common than hip or knee replacements. But more than 50,000 shoulder replacements are done in the U.S. each year.

What to Expect

An orthopedic surgeon will replace the natural bone in the ball and socket of your shoulder joint with a material that could be metal or plastic. It’s a major surgery that’ll keep you in the hospital for several days. You’ll also need several weeks of physical therapy afterward.
There are three types of shoulder replacement surgeries:
Total shoulder replacement: This is the most common type. It replaces the ball at the top of your humerus with a metal ball, which gets attached to the remaining bone. The socket gets covered with a new plastic surface.
Partial shoulder replacement: Only the ball gets replaced.
Reverse shoulder replacement: Usually, you’d get this if you have a torn rotator cuff. It’s also done when another shoulder replacement surgery didn’t work. The metal ball gets attached to your shoulder bones, and a socket is implanted at the top of your arm.

New Mexico Orthopaedics is a multi-disciplinary orthopaedic clinic located in Albuquerque New Mexico. We have multiple physical therapy clinics located throughout the Albuquerque metro area.
New Mexico Orthopaedics offers a full spectrum of services related to orthopaedic care and our expertise ranges from acute conditions such as sports injuries and fractures to prolonged, chronic care diagnoses, including total joint replacement and spinal disorders.
Because our team of highly-trained physicians specialize in various aspects of the musculoskeletal system, our practice has the capacity to treat any orthopaedic condition, and offer related support services, such as physical therapy, WorkLink and much more.
If you need orthopedic care in Albuquerque New Mexico contact New Mexico Orthopaedics at 505-724-4300.

Top 4 Most Common Orthopedic Surgeries

Top 4 Most Common Orthopedic Surgeries

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Orthopedic surgery has to do with conditions that involve the muscles and skeletons in the human body, even though orthopedic surgeons may use nonsurgical approaches to solve orthopedic problems as well.

Though every surgeon will see a variety of different patient cases that require different treatments, there are a few orthopedic procedures that tend to be the most common. Here are the top 4 most common orthopedic surgeries:

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