SHOULDER JOINT REPLACEMENT OR SHOULDER REPLACEMENT

Shoulder joint replacement or shoulder replacement is a surgical procedure in which all or part of the glenohumeral joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Such joint replacement surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe physical joint damage. It is used to treat:

•  Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease)
•  Rheumatoid arthritis
•  Post-traumatic arthritis
•  Rotator cuff tear arthropathy (a combination of severe arthritis and a massive non-reparable rotator cuff tendon tear)
•  Avascular necrosis (osteonecrosis)
•  Severe shoulder fracture
•  Failed previous shoulder replacement surgery

Shoulder Replacement Surgery is considered only when nonoperative treatments involving rest, exercise and medications fail.

TYPES OF SHOULDER REPLACEMENTS

Shoulder replacements can be done using:
•  Conventional total shoulder replacement technique
•  Reverse total shoulder replacement technique

Conventional Total Shoulder Replacement

This technique is considered in patients with bone-on-bone osteoarthritis and intact rotator cuff tendons. It involves replacing the arthritic joint surfaces with a highly polished metal ball attached to a stem, and a plastic socket.

•  A non-cemented or press-fit humeral component is used if the bone is of good quality.
•  The humeral component may be implanted with bone cement if the bone is soft.
•  An all-plastic glenoid component is implanted with bone cement in most cases unless the glenoid has good cartilage, the glenoid bone is severely deficient or the rotator cuff tendons are irreparably torn.
•  Your surgeon may replace only the ball depending on the condition of your shoulder. For example, when the ball is severely fractured and the socket is normal.

Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement

Reverse total shoulder replacement is used for patients with completely torn rotator cuffs, severe arthritis (cuff tear arthropathy), or those who have had a previous shoulder replacement that failed.

In reverse total shoulder replacement, the socket and metal ball are switched - 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.

For affordable shoulder joint replacement, please contact Healthbase. Healthbase is a medical tourism expert connecting patients to leading orthopedic hospitals worldwide. Healthbase also offers medical tourism plans for self-insured businesses and insurance companies looking for affordable healthcare benefits for employees or clients.