What to Expect with Shoulder Replacement Surgery

You want the best outcome for your shoulder replacement surgery. So do we.

Shoulder pain can significantly impact your daily activities.

Having a total shoulder replacement is one solution that your doctor may discuss with you to help get you back to a normal, active life.

Although the reasons to have a total shoulder replacement vary from person to person, the goal is the same – to provide exactly what you need to get your mobility back.

How Does Your Shoulder Work?

Three main bones make up the shoulder: the collarbone (clavicle), the shoulder blade (scapula) and the upper arm bone (humerus). The glenoid (part of the scapula) and humeral head (part of the humerus) are normally the parts of the shoulder that have to be replaced because they rub together when you move your arm.

In a healthy shoulder, these portions of bone are covered with cartilage, which allows for painless motion — lifting, pushing and pulling. However, arthritis can damage this protective cartilage, which makes these motions painful.

Arthritis is one of the most common conditions that causes wear and tear to your joint cartilage and develops after years of constant motion and pressure on the joints. So, if non-surgical treatment options such as medication, physical therapy or lifestyle changes fail to provide relief, your surgeon may recommend shoulder replacement surgery.

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What is Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

During a total shoulder replacement surgery, a doctor takes out the damaged parts of your shoulder joint and replaces them with new parts.

Your surgeon will:

  • Put you under anesthesia.
  • Make a cut so they can access your shoulder joint.
  • Remove the damaged parts of your bones or cartilage.
  • Replace the removed parts with metal and plastic implants.
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Shoulder Replacement Options

A primary, or anatomic, shoulder replacement is one type of surgery your doctor may want to do.

During primary shoulder replacement surgery, your surgeon will:

  1. Make a cut in the front of the shoulder so they can access your joint.
  2. Take out the damaged bone and cartilage.
  3. Remove the head of the bone at the top of your arm.
  4. Place a metal stem into your arm bone.
  5. Place a plastic socket implant on your shoulder blade.

If you have damage to your rotator cuff muscle, your surgeon may want to do a reverse total shoulder replacement surgery.

During reverse total shoulder replacement surgery, your surgeon will:

  1. Make a cut in the front of the shoulder, so they can access your joint.
  2. Take out the damaged bone and cartilage.
  3.  Remove the head of the bone at the top of your arm.
  4. Attach a metal ball to the shoulder blade.
  5. Place a metal implant into the upper arm bone.
  6. Attach a plastic socket to the implant in the upper arm bone.

To plan a traditional primary or reverse shoulder replacement, surgeons use X-rays, surgical tools and special techniques.

With an Advita Active Intelligence (AI) surgery, our technologies help your surgeon create your surgical plan. Specifically, Advita AI shoulder technologies get surgeons more information they can use to make accurate and precise decisions about your shoulder replacement surgery.

Advita AI technologies for shoulder replacement include: 

  • Equinoxe® Planning App
  • Predict+
  • GPS  Shoulder

This interactive approach combines your surgeon’s expertise with the latest shoulder surgery technology. The result? A shoulder replacement personalized just for you.

Advita Shoulder Replacement System

Designed to provide you with the best possible shoulder surgery outcome

Advita Ortho’s Equinoxe® Shoulder Replacement System offers many types and sizes of high-quality implants to help fit your shoulder. It is made to provide you with the best possible shoulder replacement outcome and can be used with the latest Advita AI surgery technologies.

The Equinoxe Shoulder Replacement System is a platform system, which allows surgeons to change a primary or fracture shoulder replacement to a reverse shoulder replacement with the same stem implant. This helps to preserve your natural bone.

Some of the unique features of Advita’s Shoulder Replacement System include:

Help match your individual bone structure

Preserve your natural bone structure

Work in many different types of shoulder surgery

Address unique clinical problems

Your surgeon may use advanced technologies during your shoulder replacement surgery.

Learn more

Resources for Advita Shoulder Replacement Surgery

With any surgery, there are potential risks, and results will vary depending on the patient. Joint replacement surgery is not for everyone. Check with your physician to determine if you are a candidate for joint replacement surgery. Your physician will consider the risks and benefits associated with this procedure, as well as individual factors such as the cause of your condition, your age, height, weight and activity level.

The information contained within this website is for educational purposes only and is not providing medical advice. This information is not intended to replace the expert guidance of your orthopedic surgeon. Please direct any questions or concerns you may have to your orthopedic surgeon. Decisions concerning patient care and treatment should be made solely by your physician(s). With any surgery, there are potential risks and results will vary depending on the patient.

  1. Data available upon request.

These products are manufactured by Exactech, Inc. and distributed by Advita Ortho, LLC.

GPS, Shoulder Planning App and Predict+ are developed by Blue Ortho SAS, an Advita Ortho subsidiary, and distributed by Advita Ortho, LLC.