PROCEDURES

Shoulder arthroplasty

Shoulder arthroplasty, also known as shoulder replacement surgery, is a surgical procedure where an orthopaedic surgeon will remove damaged areas of your shoulder and replace them with artificial parts. Shoulder arthroplasty is recommended for people who are experiencing severe shoulder pain, where conservative treatments didn’t work.

There are 3 types of shoulder replacement surgeries, namely:

• Total shoulder replacement: 
  This is a procedure where the ball and socket surfaces of your shoulder are replaced with similarly shaped prosthetics. This is done to relieve debilitating shoulder arthritis.
• Partial shoulder replacement:
  During this procedure, the upper bone in the arm called the humerus, is replaced with a prosthetic metal implant, but the socket or glenoid bone is kept intact.
• Reverse shoulder replacement:
  During this procedure, the surgeon reverses or switches the positions of the shoulder's joint ball and socket. The joint ball is replaced with a socket-shaped prosthetic, and the socket is fitted with a prosthetic ball. This procedure is done if your rotator cuff is damaged.

When is a shoulder replacement needed?

Dr Bismilla may recommend shoulder replacement to be done if you have a condition that makes it painful or hard for you to use your arm. These conditions may include:

• Severe arthritis
• A torn rotator cuff
• Shoulder injury such as a broken bone

What would surgery entail?

During the surgery, you will receive general anaesthesia so that you are unconscious during the procedure. The orthopaedic surgeon will make an incision and use surgical tools to replace the damaged joint ball, called the humeral head. He will replace it using a metal prosthetic, and a plastic surface on the socket of the shoulder called the glenoid. Sometimes a partial shoulder replacement may be done where only the humeral head is replaced. After the procedure, your arm will be dressed, and a sling will be used so that your arm is immobile during recovery.