Shoulder Surgery

When would I need shoulder surgery?

You may need shoulder surgery before conservative care if you have a severe injury. For example, a shoulder fracture that needs bone realignment would require prompt surgery.

In most cases, the skilled orthopedic surgeons at Restoration Orthopedics begin your shoulder treatment with conservative therapies. However, you may need shoulder surgery when:

• Your pain doesn’t improve with nonsurgical treatment
• Shoulder and arm weakness or limited movement affect daily life
• Shoulder pain disrupts your sleep
• X-ray or MRI images show substantial structural damage

Restoration Orthopedics may also recommend surgery if you plan to return to competitive sports or depend on a strong shoulder for your work activities.

What shoulder conditions might need surgery?

The shoulder conditions most likely to need surgery include:

• Fractures
• Rotator cuff tears
• Labral tears
• Ligament rupture or severe sprain
• Recurrent dislocations
• Advanced arthritis
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)

These conditions often occur when you fall on your arm, take a direct hit during sports, perform overhead arm movements, or repeatedly engage in the same movements.

What type of shoulder surgery might I need?

The Restoration Orthopedics surgeons have extensive experience performing open and minimally invasive surgery. Whenever possible, they use minimally invasive techniques like arthroscopic surgery.

Arthroscopic surgery uses several tiny incisions and slim instruments that fit through the small opening. The arthroscope holds a light and a camera that sends images to a monitor, allowing your surgeon to clearly see inside the joint, diagnose conditions, and surgically repair the problem.

During shoulder surgery, they may:

• Repair a torn rotator cuff
• Repair a torn labrum
• Repair or reconstruct tendons
• Reconstruct ligaments
• Perform internal fixation (realigning and stabilizing bones)
• Cut thick, scarred tissues affecting the joint capsule
• Manipulate the shoulder, stretching the tissues and improving the range of movement
• Remove inflamed and damaged tissues
• Remove bone spurs
• Replace the shoulder joint

Shoulder joint replacements may be partial (only the ball of the upper arm is replaced) or total (the ball and socket are replaced).

Or, you may need a reverse shoulder replacement. During a reverse replacement, your Restoration Orthopedics surgeon reverses the ball and socket, allowing a different muscle to move your arm and taking stress off the rotator cuff.

If you need expert care for shoulder pain or have questions about shoulder surgery, call Restoration Orthopedics or book online today.