All You Want To Know About Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery

Introduction To The Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery:

Out of the all the known remedies of shoulder pain that gives very deep agony, rigidity, and uneasiness, that is triggered by various types of shoulder arthritis (damage within the shoulder joint damaging its cartilage), the most recommended remedy by the Orthopaedic Surgeon in Singapore is Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery. Usually, this remedy is prescribed to those patients, whose arthritis has reached its end-stage and absolutely no other solution is seen. In medical terms, it is termed as Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, which is a proven procedure that assures very positive results to the patients relieving their shoulder agony, uneasiness and reinstates the shoulder motion to the fullest.

The actual process of total shoulder replacement comprises surgically getting rid of the incapacitated shoulder part. Once removed it is substituted with an artificial part. The sophisticated gadgets have made the total shoulder replacement surgery procedure very easy with around 53,000 total surgeries successfully happening every year.

To Which Patients Total Shoulder Replacement Is Recommended?

When the shoulder arthritis reaches its last stage giving unbearable pain to the patients or the patient reaches this critical condition due to any other reason – total shoulder replacement is suggested. When all the other non-surgical treatments fail to show any kind of improvement, and no other medication is improving the shoulder deterioration, you should give due consideration to the total shoulder replacement surgery.

Are There Any Other Options Instead Of Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Yes, before concluding on the surgery, various types of anti-inflammatory and preventive dosages are recommended by the Orthopaedic Surgeon. The available options are – Corticosteroid Injections (cortisone shots relieving pain and inflammation instantly due to its anesthetic properties), Shoulder Physical Therapy of the shoulder joints, and anti-inflammatory medicine.

But, if all these prescriptions do not show any kind of improvement in the shoulder pain, inflammation, and rigidness, then it is highly recommended to decide on the total shoulder replacement surgery.

What Is The Synopsis Of The Entire Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery Process?

The entire procedure of surgery takes around two hours, which is performed by experienced surgeons. To begin with, the patient is anesthetized with general anesthesia during the replacement of ball and socket joint – that gives the rotational and multidirectional movement to the hand.

Following is the step-by-step synopsis of the entire total shoulder replacement surgical process:

• The surgeon, with impeccable accuracy, separates the deltoid and pectoral muscles, thus assuring zero damages to the nerve. Usually, this shoulder segment has a very less number of nerves.
• Now, the surgeon cuts open the muscle of the rotator cuff to further move into the shoulder, thus allowing the surgeon to get direct visibility of the ball and socket, which are affected by arthritis.
• At this stage, the surgeon takes out the arthritic segments of the ball and socket that are damaged.
• The damaged parts are removed and transplanted with the new socket, ball, and stem with utmost care.
• The operated shoulder cut is again stitched back, cleansed, and finally dressed up with the sanitized bandage.
• There are different types of surgery options that are chosen to replace the ball and socket, which depends on the osteoarthritis severity of the infection.
• In the surgery – a metallic ball is comfortably positioned alongside the plastic shoulder joint. Then, on the Glenoid the polyethylene socket is positioned over. Then it is secured to a stem that is located below the shoulders’ humerus bone. Finally, this polyethylene socket is paved with cement thus attaching it very firmly to the existing bone.

What Are The Precautionary Measures A Patient Should Take Before Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

The preparation starts weeks before the actual day of the surgery by a thorough body examination. The surgeon confirms whether your body is strong enough to endure the entire surgery process or not.

There are certain medications, which will be recommended by the surgeon to stop with immediate effects, like tablets that thin the blood (as thinner blood tends to ooze out more at the time of surgery), arthritis medicines, and all other anti-inflammatory medications.

Are There Any Side Effects Or Complications After Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Full shoulder replacement surgery does not cause any major complications and the records show only 5% of the total shoulder replacement surgeries are susceptible to give some kind of minor surgery complications.

What Is The Net Recovery Period Post Total Shoulder Replacement?

Remember, the recovery period after surgery is around seven to eight weeks, and to gain complete shoulder motion, physical therapy is necessary, which again takes a certain period that changes as per the patients’ will-power.

On the second day of the surgery, an X-ray will assure the doctor about the success rate of the surgery. He confirms whether all the external accessories are properly placed inside the shoulder and immediately commences physical therapy if everything is fine.

And once this therapy starts, the patient instantly can gauge the easiness of moving their shoulder. Seldom will they experience any of the grindings like feeling that happened from the earlier arthritis.

Lastly, to give a comfortable recovery period to the tendons in the shoulder, the arm and the shoulder are accurately positioned in a sling.