Total Shoulder Replacement
Conditions like arthritis can severely damage the shoulder joint over time, resulting in chronic pain and stiffness. This can interfere with your everyday activities and force you to avoid some activities altogether.
Nonsurgical treatment methods like medications, injections, and physical therapy are helpful in relieving shoulder arthritis pain for many patients. However, if these methods do not help with your symptoms, shoulder replacement surgery may be an option.
Dr. Andrew Islam is experienced in shoulder replacement surgery, performing over 100 shoulder replacements per year. In addition to his fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, he has continued his education with several additional courses on shoulder replacements to keep current on the latest advances in this procedure.
Who Is a Candidate for Total Shoulder Replacement?
Dr. Islam evaluates each patient on a case by case basis, taking into account the patient’s lifestyle, activities, and degree of disability before recommending surgery.
Candidates for shoulder replacement surgery have severe shoulder pain caused by arthritis. Shoulder replacement surgery may be recommend if:
- Shoulder pain interferes with daily activities
- Shoulder pain persists while at rest
- The patient has lost strength or range of motion in the shoulder due to arthritis
- Symptoms have not improved after an extended course of nonsurgical treatments
Shoulder Replacement Procedures
During a shoulder replacement procedure, Dr. Islam removes the damaged portions of the shoulder joint, replacing them with prosthetic components. Surgery typically lasts about 1-1.5 hours, and patients typically stay in the hospital overnight after the procedure.
Dr. Islam is trained in both total shoulder replacement and reverse total shoulder replacement. He will work with your to determine which procedure is right for you.
Total Shoulder Replacement
Total shoulder replacement is typically recommended for patients with arthritis who have severe damage to the shoulder joint. During a total shoulder replacement, Dr. Islam removes the damaged end of of the upper arm, replacing it with a metal implant. The end of the implant is ball-shaped and is attached to a stem that fits inside the arm. The shoulder socket is then lined with a plastic component. The ball-shaped end of the metal implant fits into the plastic socket, allowing for improved shoulder function and range of motion with less pain.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
A reverse total shoulder replacement may be an option for patients who have severe shoulder arthritis combined with a rotator cuff tear, or for patients who have had a previous shoulder replacement that failed.
During a reverse total shoulder replacement, the positioning of the ball and socket components are switched. The metal ball-shaped prosthetic is attached to the shoulder socket, and a plastic-lined metal socket prosthetic is attached to the upper arm. By reversing the positioning of the shoulder implants, patients are able to use the deltoid muscle to raise and lower the arm, rather than the torn rotator cuff. This may provide greater stability and range of motion in the shoulder.
Recovering from Total Shoulder Replacement
After an overnight stay in the hospital, most patients are able to return home the next day. It is normal to experience some pain after surgery. Medications may be prescribed to help with the initial pain for the first few days after surgery, but most patients switch to over-the-counter pain medications within a week, if needed.
Most of Dr. Islam’s patients utilize a continuous passive motion (CPM) chair at home in the initial period after surgery, which helps with range of motion in the shoulder. Patients typically have a followup appointment with Dr. Islam one week after surgery. At that point, patients typically begin outpatient physical therapy. Dr. Islam’s practice has over 20 physical therapy locations throughout the Cincinnati area, offering many convenient options for patients to work with a physical therapist.
Patients are able to return to most everyday activities within 2-4 weeks of surgery. Most patients experience long-term pain relief and improved shoulder function after full recovery.
Total Shoulder Replacement in Cincinnati, OH and Surrounding Communities
Dr. Andrew Islam has received extensive training in total shoulder replacement and reverse total shoulder replacement techniques, including a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and numerous postgraduate courses. If you think you may be a candidate for shoulder replacement surgery and would like an evaluation with Dr. Islam, please call one of his four office locations or fill out our appointment request form.