Also called: shoulder arthroplasty
If your doctor recommends shoulder replacement surgery, here’s what you should know— this procedure removes damaged pieces of bone in your shoulder joint and replaces it with plastic and metal parts in the hopes of giving you greater range of motion or reduce your shoulder pain.
Depending on the type of damage or injury, your doctor may recommend a specific type of surgery.
- Anatomic Total Shoulder Replacement — Your doctor will replace the ball and socket joint of the shoulder. The implants used look and behave like your natural joint.
- Reverse Shoulder Replacement — You’re still getting a total joint replacement, but the ball is attached to your shoulder and the socket on your arm, this is often the choice if you have severe rotator cuff damage.
- Partial Shoulder Replacement — Your doctor will recommend this option if only the ball part of the joint is damaged.
