Total Shoulder Replacement with Dr. Christopher Jones

Welcome to a Medical Minute segment with Dr. Christopher Jones, a board-certified physician at the Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group. The video below will cover what a total shoulder replacement is, and when this surgery may be recommended.

What is a Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

A total shoulder replacement is when you are replacing the “ball and socket” of the joint with a metal humeral head and a metal-lined socket placed within the shoulder socket also known as the glenoid fossa. This surgery is typically necessary when a patient has a complete breakdown of all the cartilage within their shoulder joint, resulting in a loss of mobility and significant pain. Regaining shoulder mobility, functionality, and eliminating pain are the primary reasons to undergo a total shoulder replacement surgery.

What is the Lifespan of a Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

The vast majority of patients who require a total shoulder replacement have a genetic component of arthritis therefore, the younger a patient is when receiving a shoulder replacement, the more likely it is they may need a revision later in life. Current studies show that the average lifespan of a total replacement is approximately 20 years for 85% of patients. As these statistics are based on dated implant technologies, innovative advancements within implant technologies are showing drastic improvements in replacement longevity. Surgeons are hopeful these advancements will increase the lifespan of such implants.

What is the Recovery time of a Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

The full recovery time for any shoulder surgery averages around a year and may vary upon the severity of the initial injury and the procedure used to treat such injury. With this, the vast number of patients who have had shoulder surgery notice significantly less pain within six weeks after surgery.

Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery Technology and Innovations

As total shoulder replacement technologies continue to advance, many of the newer implants have a strong focus on bone preservation. In addition to utilizing the latest implants, Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group also utilizes a groundbreaking innovation tool of three-dimension operative planning. This technology allows the physician to customize the shoulder procedure to the individual patient’s needs on the computer prior to walking into the operating room. To do this, they download the patient’s imaging into the software allowing the physician to place the implants in precise alignment with the bony anatomy allowing the physician to know exactly where to place the implant prior to walking into the operating room. This optimizes the patient’s recovery outcomes and the replacement’s longevity.

Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery

With Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery, the physician will swap the ball and socket around. This surgery is completed when the patient does not have a rotator cuff.
Call us at 719-632-7669 to schedule your initial consultation with one of our fellowship-trained, board-certified Orthopedic Shoulder Specialists today!