The shoulder is a very complex joint made up of many ligaments, tendons, bones, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. The three main bones that make up the shoulder are the humerus (upper arm bone), shoulder blade (scapula), and clavicle (collarbone).
The shoulder can perform many movements, but this capability makes it vulnerable to stress, wear and tear, trauma, sports and work injuries, and conditions such as arthritis. The strong tissues that hold the shoulder bones together are often affected by stress or trauma more than the bones themselves; so when these tissues stretch or rupture, it can cause the shoulder to become weak, unstable, or dislocated.
Shoulder pain is a common problem. Although some shoulder conditions and injuries may, in time, go away with rest or nonsurgical treatment, others may require surgery. The most common types of shoulder surgery include the following:
Shoulder Arthroscopy
Arthroscopic surgery enables a surgeon to view, diagnose, and treat joint issues. An arthroscopy procedure can be used to repair and tighten damaged structures within the joint, remove inflamed tissue or fragments of loose bone or cartilage within the joint, and stabilize the shoulder.
Arthroscopy of the shoulder requires only a few tiny incisions, and the surgeon uses a thin tube with a small camera capability at the end to view the tissues in the shoulder joint. Compared to traditional open surgery, arthroscopy is less invasive, has less risk of infection, and generally requires a shorter recovery period.
Reverse Shoulder Replacement Surgery
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. The humeral head (the rounded top of the humerus) acts as the ball of the joint, and it sits within the shallow glenoid socket in the shoulder blade. The glenoid cavity is covered with a soft, fibrous tissue known as the labrum, and this gives the shoulder joint stability and strength.
In a reverse shoulder replacement, the ball and socket of the shoulder joint are literally switched. A prosthetic “ball” is surgically attached at the shoulder blade, and an artificial “socket” is then created at the top of the upper arm bone.
By reversing the location of the ball and socket, it allows the shoulder to bypass the damaged muscles and tendons and instead use the deltoid muscle (located in the top of the arm and shoulder). The purpose of this surgery is to stabilize the shoulder joint and restore pain-free motion and function.
Rotator Cuff Repair Surgery
The rotator cuff is made up of a network of muscles and tendons which together secure the joint, keeping the head of the humerus firmly within the glenoid socket. It enables movement of the arm at the shoulder.
The risk of rotator cuff tears can increase with age, as the muscles and tendons can degenerate and weaken. Sudden shoulder movements or overuse, such as during sports, can also increase the chances of a torn rotator cuff. A tear can cause pain, stiffness, and weakness in the shoulder and upper arm.
Surgery is recommended when nonsurgical treatments have provided minimal or no improvement of symptoms. It is also recommended for injuries that have caused chronic pain, or for people who rely on their arm strength for work or sports.
Total Shoulder Joint Replacement
A total joint replacement of the shoulder may be recommended when nonsurgical treatments haven’t improved pain or movement, whether caused by an injury or by a condition such as osteoarthritis. Often called just “arthritis,” osteoarthritis causes the cartilage covering the ends of the bones to gradually wear away, resulting in the bones rubbing together and causing pain.
Osteoarthritis is a common cause of severe pain, stiffness, and swelling in the shoulder. Total shoulder joint replacement can relieve pain and restore function by replacing the damaged bone and cartilage with medical-grade metal and plastic prosthetic parts.
Fracture Surgery
There are many types of fractures, ranging from a hairline crack to a bone that has been broken into numerous pieces. When surgery is required to repair a broken bone, the goal is to align the fractured bone fragments and allow them to heal correctly.
Simple fractures may only require casting or splinting treatments, but more complex fractures may need surgical intervention to align the bones for proper healing. This occurs when the bones have moved out of place, such as from a traumatic sports injury or a car accident.
This surgery involves realigning the sections of bone fragments into the proper position and securing them with surgical hardware. Sometimes a bone graft may be required to fill in the gaps.
Shoulder Surgeons in the Chesapeake Bay Area, Maryland
If you are suffering with shoulder pain, contact the medical team at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder today. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons use the latest surgical and nonsurgical techniques to treat the full spectrum of shoulder problems and chronic pain issues.
To schedule an appointment, call our Maryland shoulder surgeons at (410) 296-6232 or request an appointment online for any of our locations in the Greater Chesapeake area. We look forward to taking care of your shoulder and getting you back to enjoying an active lifestyle.
