Shoulder Joint Replacements surgery are usually done to relieve pain and when all non-operative treatment to relieve pain have failed. It is a successful in relieving joint pain.
Shoulder Joint Replacement surgery removes the damaged parts of the shoulder where contact between the worn humeral head and shoulder blade socket cause pain.
The surgery involves the removal of the damaged components and their replacement with new artificial bearings components.and surfaces to relieve pain.
In shoulder replacement surgery artificial components called prostheses can be used for:
The conventional approach is Total Shoulder Joint Replacement surgery . This involves replacing the arthritic joint surfaces with a highly polished metal ball attached to a stem, and a plastic socket.
Candidates for conventional total shoulder replacement are patients with bone-on-bone osteoarthritis and intact rotator cuff tendons.
Where a conventional Total Shoulder Replacement can still leave pain and limited mobility. In Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement, the socket and metal ball are switched. That means a metal ball is attached to the shoulder bone and a plastic socket is attached to the upper arm bone. This allows the patient to use the deltoid muscle instead of the torn rotator cuff to lift the arm.
Candidates for Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement are patients suffering a
In a Stemmed Hemiarthroplasty only the ball is replaced. This procedure is called hemiarthroplasty. Typically, the head of the humerus is replaced with a metal ball and stem, similar to the component used in a total replacement.
Resurfacing Hemiarthroplasty is an alternative to the standard stemmed replacement. Resurfacing Hemiarthroplasty involves replacing the joint surface of the humeral head with a cap-like prosthesis without a stem.
This is a popular option for patients who are young or very active, as it avoids the risk of component wear and loosen that can occur in the other procedure.
Shoulder replacement surgery is designed to treat
The procedure is performed after appropriate diagnostic assessments, pre surgery checks and preparations are complete in a hospital and normally takes less than two hours. Below we outline the two procedures:
Conventional Shoulder Replacement Surgery is performed under a general anaesthetic and includes the following steps:
Reverse Shoulder Replacement Surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and includes the following steps:
Once you and the doctor have decided that surgery is required, preparation is necessary to achieve the best results and a quick and problem free recovery.
Regardless of whether you are expecting to have treatment or just a consultation please advise the doctor of any medications you are taking, including:
Discuss which ones should be stopped before surgery like aspirin, warfarin, anti-inflammatory medications or drugs that increase the risk of bleeding 7 days before surgery to minimise bleeding
Physical Preparation
Mental Preparation
Preparing mentally and physically for surgery is an important step toward a successful result.
Your doctor will create a treatment plan and patients will also need to understand the process and their role in it
When you go home you need to take special precautions around the house to make sure it is safe. Your post operative plans should include:
Assess your home situation to ensure you have adequate home support in the first few weeks following surgery. If you live alone it may be necessary to arrange a package of community care to help during the first few weeks at home.
In the recovery ward
Your Rehab Program starts soon after your procedure, it involves
Your Rehab Program will have progressed
General Complications With Surgery
All operations have risks. Apart from pain, most patients don’t have any of these problems. The general risk of a surgical complication is about 5%, the Risk of serious complications is less than 1%. General complications from surgery can include:
Specific Surgery Complications
The patient will be given specific instructions regarding activity and a rehabilitation program of exercise and strengthening.
Eating a healthy diet and not smoking will promote healing.
At the 6 Week Check-Up your surgeon, who will assess your progress:
It is recommended that the patient not drive during the first 6 weeks while wearing a sling due to safety reasons and the risk of injury to the surgical site.
At this time you should be able to:
You should continue to see your surgeon for the rest of your life to check your knee and take X-rays.
This is important as sometimes your knee can feel excellent, but there can be a problem only recognised on X-ray
Early mobilisation is a major preventive measure. We strongly encourage you to get moving and out of bed as soon as possible after the operation to restore normal blood flow in the legs.
You should aim to do at least ten short walks (of between 2 and 5 minutes) each day in the first two weeks after surgery.
All patients receive a number of treatment measures to reduce the risk of blood clots. These include injections of heparin during and after surgery,
As a result of these measures, we have never had a patient develop a deep venous thrombosis. Any patient who is at high risk of a blood clot (such as a history of blood clots or clotting disorders) may be asked to continue heparin (Clexane) injections for 10 days after the surgery in addition to the other measures. This can be done at home, and we will show you how.
Sometimes the potential risks and consequences of your surgical procedure need to be weighed against the benefits of a successful surgical outcome.
Like most surgery these benefits can include:
Although the recurrence of the presenting problem is not very common, after surgery, you would need to follow preventive measures.
It is important to avoid high impact activities during the early phase of recovery to minimise the risk of further injury. If there are any postoperative concerns or pain, please do not hesitate in contacting our rooms.