Reverse Shoulder Replacement

When shoulder arthritis limits your life and the rotator cuff is too damaged to work, it may be time to consider a reverse shoulder replacement. Richard Buch, MD, and the experts at The Dallas Limb Restoration Center have helped many people regain pain-free arm movement and a strong shoulder with a reverse shoulder replacement. Call the office in Carrollton, Texas, or request an appointment online today. 

What is a reverse shoulder replacement?

A conventional shoulder replacement recreates the original ball and socket. Your surgeon removes damaged tissues and replaces them with implants mimicking the same natural joint.

By comparison, a reverse shoulder replacement switches the two sides. Your surgeon turns the original socket into a round ball, and the upper arm becomes the new socket.

Switching the two sides allows the deltoid muscle (a large triangular muscle covering the top of your shoulder) to move your arm. Relying on the strength of the deltoid muscle eliminates stress on the rotator cuff, which usually supports arm movement.

When would I need a reverse shoulder replacement?

The Dallas Limb Restoration Center recommends a reverse shoulder replacement to treat the following conditions:

Rotator cuff arthropathy

Rotator cuff arthropathy means you have a large rotator cuff tear and osteoarthritis. This condition develops when the damaged rotator cuff can’t hold the upper arm securely in the socket. The loose bone grates against other bones, resulting in arthritis.

Severe rotator cuff tear

A severely torn or ruptured rotator cuff, especially an injury involving multiple tendons, may be beyond surgical repair and too damaged to qualify for a traditional joint replacement.

Complex shoulder joint conditions

Several conditions may require a reverse shoulder replacement, including a complex shoulder fracture, chronic shoulder dislocation, and the need for a joint revision when a previous shoulder replacement fails.

What happens during a reverse shoulder replacement?

During a reverse shoulder replacement, your surgeon removes the ball at the top of the arm bone (humerus). After using special tools to determine the size and angle of the implant for your arm, they insert a metal stem into the humerus and attach the new socket implant to the stem.

Then, they clean the damaged tissues from the original socket, place a metal plate on the bone, and attach a round implant to create the new ball. Finally, your surgeon finishes the reverse shoulder replacement by placing the ball into the socket.

These are only the basic steps. The entire procedure is more complex and includes creating a temporary joint to be sure it fits your anatomy before attaching the permanent implants.

Call The Dallas Limb Restoration Center or book an appointment online today to learn if a reverse shoulder replacement can relieve your chronic pain and limited arm movement.