3 Things to Know About the Procedure for Total Shoulder Replacement

 

If you’ve seen an orthopedic specialist and have been told that your shoulder injury or condition will require a joint replacement, then you probably have some questions about what exactly that procedure will entail. Because the shoulder is a ball in socket joint, the procedure for total shoulder replacement involves two prosthetic pieces that fit together to facilitate the smooth, pain-free gliding motion that is characteristic of a healthy shoulder.

 

Before you schedule surgery, here are a few important points to know:

 

The patient has an important role beforehand.

 

The first step in the entire process is choosing a care provider. You’ll want to work with a highly esteemed orthopedic practice and be seen by a surgeon who has years of experience in this specialty. If you have not yet found a place where you feel confident and comfortable having a procedure for total shoulder replacement, we recommend calling Rothman Orthopaedic Institute!

 

Besides scheduling your orthopedic appointments, which will include a complete medical history, an exam, x-rays and possibly additional tests, such as an MRI, it is also the patients’ job to begin to prepare for surgery by pursuing optimal health.

 

You put your body in the best possible condition for surgery when you stop smoking (we recommend at least one month prior to your surgery), strive to maintain a healthy weight and address any underlying physical concerns promptly. For example, a patient should not go into surgery with any unresolved infections as this could cause unnecessary complications. 

 

The patient has an important role afterwards.

 

Leading up to your procedure date, your orthopedic surgeon will discuss the details of your recovery and rehabilitation with you. The main thing to understand now, though, is that the success of your procedure for total shoulder replacement largely depends on you! 

Will you be committed to following all instructions for proper follow up care, including a designated rest period? 

Have you considered who can help you around the house with chores that will be difficult during your recovery?

 

The surgery is successful and highly effective.

 

Why go through surgery if its not going to accomplish the desired result? With total shoulder replacement, the primary goal is always to relieve the patient of the pain caused by their injury or condition (most often, arthritis in the shoulder) and the secondary goal is to restore function.

 

You can rest assured that at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, the procedure for total shoulder replacement is a highly effective in achieving both of those goals. Our experienced team of experts perform thousands of successful shoulder surgeries each year. Our job is getting patients like you back to the lifestyles, jobs, activities and sports they love - as quickly as possible.

 

Call Rothman for more details or to set up an appointment!