Sometimes, when there are major shoulder injuries, the indicated treatment for these patients is the shoulder prosthesis, which consists of replacing the affected joint with an artificial one, which allows it to perform all its functions again and considerably improves the patient’s quality of life.
Indications for shoulder prostheses
In some patients, the shoulder joint presents an important deterioration, which can be due to joint destruction by arthrosis, previous trauma with fracture, or by massive rupture of the rotator cuff (the set of muscles and tendons that provide mobility to the shoulder). This deterioration causes pain and limited mobility that make it impossible for patients to carry out their usual activities, leading to a considerable loss of quality of life.
In the case of osteoarthritis and massive cuff tears, patients are usually older than 65 years, although sometimes it can occur in younger patients, especially in cases of fractures.
Types of shoulder prosthesis
A prosthesis consists of replacing the affected joint with metal and/or plastic (polyethylene) components, both at the glenoid level (the area of the scapula that forms the joint) and at the humeral head level.
There are several types of shoulder prosthesis, but, if we specify, we can establish two most frequent types:
- Anatomical prosthesis: it is similar to the anatomical shape of the shoulder (a concave component in the glenoid and a semi-spherical component in the humerus). It is indicated in cases of osteoarthritis with good rotator cuff condition.
- Reverse prosthesis: designed contrary to the normal anatomy, i.e. a semi-spherical component in the glenoid and a concave component in the humerus. It is indicated in massive cuff tears, with or without added osteoarthritis.
Shoulder prosthesis surgery: what does it consist of?
To place a prosthesis, the orthopedic surgeon must make an anterior incision in the shoulder, through which access to the joint is gained. Using a specific material, the damaged area of the joint is resected and the prosthesis is placed in its place, acting as a new joint. Thanks to the great advances obtained, both from the point of view of anesthesia and surgical technique, the surgical risks inherent to any type of surgery have been considerably minimized.
This new joint (the prosthesis) eliminates pain and improves mobility, reaching in most cases a practically complete mobility without pain, which significantly improves the patient’s quality of life.
Postoperative period of the shoulder prosthesis surgery
After the surgery, the patient will remain hospitalized for a period of three or four days, as a usual control measure in this type of surgery. Also, the patient will have to maintain a sling for approximately three weeks, after which he/she will begin to mobilize progressively and will undergo rehabilitation, which will be variable depending on the evolution.