Reverse Shoulder Replacement
Orthopedic surgeons at United Regional offer a surgical solution for patients who have significant pain and little to no movement in their shoulder.
The Reverse Shoulder Prosthesis is used for patients with rotator cuff arthropathy, a medical condition in which the rotator cuff muscles (the muscles around the shoulder joint) have torn to a point where they can no longer move the shoulder joint and allow it to function normally, often in conjunction with arthritis.
In many cases, the causes of the weakness may be arthritis, a previous shoulder injury such as a shoulder fracture, rotator cuff tear and/or failed previous shoulder surgeries.
What is the difference in a Reverse Shoulder Replacement?
In a healthy shoulder, the upper arm bone (humerus) ends in a ball shape. This fits into a socket formed by the shoulder blade (scapula). Together the ball and socket form the shoulder. With the reverse shoulder prosthesis, the positions of the ball and socket are switched. The implant is designed so that the ball portion is attached to the scapula and the socket is placed at the upper end of the humerus.
This procedure can also be used in revision surgery, for failed shoulder replacement and shoulder fractures.