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Patients / Back In Motion / Shoulder

Shoulder

A short guide to your upcoming shoulder arthroplasty.

Shoulder image
If your shoulders hurt, you may be considering undergoing shoulder replacement surgery.
We’ll explain how your shoulders work and why they may wear out over time. Of course, we’ll also explain how shoulder prosthetic implants are made and what happens during shoulder arthroplasty.

For more general information on joint replacement, visit our guide and FAQs section.
SHOULDER ANATOMY The shoulder resembles a ball and socket joint that connects the humerus the scapula. However it it subject to lower anatomical constraints than hip joint. Even when unstable, it allows one of the widest ranges of movement in the whole body.

The upper humerus ends with its humeral head which articulates, on the other side, onto the glenoid bone of the scapula. In a healthy state, cartilage covers both and they smoothly articulate with each other. The joint capsule, ligaments, and shoulder muscle tendons stabilize the joint. The deltoid muscle and the rotator cuff provide the main moving forces. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles that centralize the humeral head in the glenoid cavity.

Specific Pathologies

Osteoarthritis

This is an age-related pathology. It usually occurs in people of 50 years of age or older, but may occur in younger people, too. ​ The cartilage that cushions the bones wears away, the bones rub against each other and over time cause stiffness and pain.​Osteoarthritis may also be caused or accelerated by subtle irregularities in how the joint developed in childhood

Rheumatoid Arthritis

This disease consists of the inflammation and thickening of the synovial membrane that surrounds the joint. It is an autoimmune process that can damage the cartilage and cause its loss, pain, and stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of a group of disorders named “inflammatory arthritis".

Post-traumatic Arthritis

This disease follows serious joint injuries like fractures or muscle tears. Fractures in the bones that compose the joints may damage the articular cartilage over time, resulting in joint incongruency followed by the degeneration of the cartilage because of eccentric wear. This causes pain and limits joint functions.

Rotator Cuff's Tear Arthropathy

A patient with a very large, long-standing rotator cuff tear may develop a condition called Rotator's cuff tear arthropathy due to the lack of muscle stability and protection, leading to the bone to bone contact. This condition may lead to arthritis and the destruction of the joint cartilage. This rotator cuff tear usually has a traumatic origin or is most commonly due to tendon degeneration over the years.

PROSTETHIC IMPLANT There are several reconstructive implants available, depending on the type of problem. The entire joint can be replaced with prostheses or just partially.

The two main types of prosthesis are the total anatomical or reverse. The former maintains the natural shoulder formation. In the latter, the socket and sphere materials are 'inverted'.
Depending on the patient’s bone quality and diagnosis, these implants are good for implantation with or without a humeral stem.

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Shoulder implants mentioned above may fail for many different reasons. When this occurs, revision prosthetic surgery may be required.
SYMPTOMS
There are several reasons why your doctor may recommend joint replacement surgery. If the symptoms below reflect what you feel, you should consider the decision to undergo such a procedure. Discuss the surgery with your family, your family physician, and your orthopedic surgeon.

Pain usually associated with osteoarthritis develops gradually. You may feel stiffness when you move, especially in the morning, after inactivity or intense activities.
People who benefit from surgery often have:
  • Severe joint pain that interferes with everyday activities, such as walking, running, dressing, toileting, washing or limits sports activities;
  • Moderate to severe pain while resting that can be severe enough to prevent a good night’s sleep;
  • Loss of range of motion of the joint and/or weakness in movement;
  • Failure to substantially improve with other treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications, injections, physical therapy, or perhaps arthroscopic treatment.
Disclaimer
Limacorporate S.p.A., as a manufacturer of prosthetic implants, does not practice the medical profession. The choice of the most suitable surgical intervention and technique is necessarily the responsibility of the holy professional. Each surgeon will have to evaluate the appropriateness of the implant technique he intends to carry out in the light of his own preparation, experience and clinical evaluation of each individual patient.
Your orthopedic surgeon is responsible for all recommendations and decisions about your medical care if you and your surgeon decide that joint replacement is appropriate for you. The following information also does not provide a complete or full discussion of the specifics of joint replacement surgery; the prosthesis that may be used; your care before, during, and after surgery; or the potential complications associated with surgery and your particular condition. Depending upon your particular condition, some of the general information provided may not be applicable to you. You will need to discuss the specifics of your case with your surgeon. LimaCorporate does not guarantee any specific results, recovery or rehabilitation.
WARNING: Please remember the information on this document is for educational purposes only and should not be used to make a decision on a condition or a procedure. All decisions should be made in conjunction with your surgeon and your primary care provider.
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