Many Grand Rapids Orthopedics patients inquire regarding new and innovative procedures that can be performed, with one of the more common being rotator cuff surgery or shoulder replacement surgery and the resulting shoulder surgery recovery time.
Many individuals have had a rotator cuff tear and, unfortunately, there are simply some tears that cannot be repaired. In addition, as the result of having had previous shoulder surgeries or wear and tear over time, some people develop advanced arthritis of the shoulder. When the cartilage cap in the joint is lost, bone grinds against bone causing severe pain.
In the past, the only solution for this type of shoulder injury was a total shoulder replacement, and that traditional replacement required the rotator cuff tendons to hold the shoulder in position and help it function properly. If you had severe arthritis and you had no rotator cuff that was functioning, there was simply no good option – resulting in significant disability and pain.
Grand Rapids Orthopedics now uses a new and innovative procedure called a reverse total shoulder replacement. The advantage of that procedure, which was developed in Europe, is a ball that is placed on the socket side of the shoulder and a socket that’s placed on the arm side. This procedure allows a resolution of the pain in the shoulder and function that was not previously obtainable by any other means.
In addition, this procedure can be performed with a short stay in the hospital and eliminate those previously debilitating complaints about disability and pain, and minimize your shoulder surgery recovery time.