Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery

Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists serves patients throughout Hampton Roads, with offices in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake. Dr. Chad Manke and Dr. Bradley Carofino perform total shoulder replacement surgery, a procedure that replaces damaged surfaces of the shoulder joint with artificial components. During surgery, the damaged surfaces at the top of the upper arm bone (humerus) and in the socket of the shoulder blade (scapula) are replaced with components made of metal and plastic. Depending on the type of implant, components may be secured with bone cement or have specially designed surfaces that allow bone to grow into them over time.

The top end of your upper arm bone is shaped like a ball. Muscles and ligaments hold this ball against a cup-shaped part of the shoulder bone. Surgeons usually replace the top of the upper arm bone with a long metal piece, inserted into your upper arm bone, that has a rounded head. If the cup-shaped surface of your shoulder bone that cradles your upper arm bone is also damaged, doctors smooth it and then cap it with a plastic or metal and plastic piece. General anesthesia is often appropriate for joint replacement surgeries.

Your surgeon may recommend that you take antibiotics before and after the surgery to reduce the risk of infection. If you need any major dental work, it may be recommend that you have it done before the surgery. Infections can spread from other parts of the body, such as the mouth, to the artificial joint and cause a serious problem.