When the shoulder hurts - What you need to know about a shoulder prosthesis

Are you finding it increasingly difficult to lift your arm above your head? Is your strength dwindling and even putting on a T-shirt or pullover hurts your shoulder? The shoulder is a very complex joint. Together with the elbow, it controls arm movements and allows great freedom of movement. Shoulder pain, for example due to osteoarthritis, can severely restrict this function. A shoulder prosthesis can restore mobility and relieve shoulder pain. The shoulder specialists at the Sportklinik Hellersen implant around 100 artificial shoulder joints every year. With their many years of experience, they will advise you in detail as to when the time is right for you personally to have an artificial joint.

When do I need a shoulder prosthesis?

The most common causes of osteoarthritis in the shoulder include joint wear and tear (ageing process), accidental fractures of the humeral head or late effects of rotator cuff damage (rotator cuff defect arthropathy).

Regardless of the cause of the osteoarthritis, the joint cartilage on the humeral head and glenoid cavity is destroyed. This results in an inflammatory reaction with pain in the shoulder and increasing restriction of movement in the affected shoulder joint. If conservative treatment (anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medication, cortisone injections and physiotherapy) does not lead to the desired success, shoulder surgery may be considered.

Can the shoulder joint be preserved?

The surgical options are varied and depend, among other things, on whether shoulder pain or restricted movement is the main problem. If movement is restricted, removing excess bone and loosening the thickened joint capsule can improve the situation and preserve the joint. If, on the other hand, shoulder pain is the main problem, an artificial joint replacement of the shoulder is preferable.

Various shoulder endoprosthesis models are available at Endoprothetik Hellersen, from which our shoulder specialists will select the most suitable model for you. A distinction is made between the anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty and the inverse total shoulder arthroplasty.

Shoulder prosthesis types: Anatomical shoulder joint replacement

An intact rotator cuff is a prerequisite for an anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty. In an anatomical joint replacement, the damaged joint surfaces are removed. The humeral head is replaced with a metal hemisphere and the shoulder blade socket with a plastic socket. Shaft-free shoulder prostheses are mainly used at the Sportklinik Hellersen. The great advantage of this prosthesis design is that it allows a great deal of the patient's own bone to be retained, which means that the individual anatomy of each patient can be restored very precisely.

Shoulder prosthesis types: Reverse joint replacement (inverse total shoulder arthroplasty)

This is used for reconstructable fractures of the humeral head or for replacement arthroplasty operations.

In a reverse joint replacement, the ball and socket are swapped. This means that the metal ball is attached to the shoulder blade and the socket to the humeral head. With the help of the hooded muscle, the arm can be lifted or spread again even if the rotator cuff is defective.