Overview

This surgery repairs a damaged shoulder joint. It reverses the position of the ball and the socket. This lets you move your arm with your deltoid muscle, instead of the muscles of the rotator cuff.

Preparation

To begin, you're put to sleep. Or, you're given medicine to make you feel relaxed and numb. We make an incision to reach your joint.

Humerus component

First, we modify the humerus. That's the bone of your upper arm. We take off the head of the humerus, and make space in this bone for the implant. The implant's stem slides into the bone's center. We attach a cup to the top. This is the shoulder's new socket.

Glenoid component

Next, we modify the glenoid. That's the end of a bone called the "scapula." We reshape the glenoid to make a stable surface. Then, we secure an implant to it. This is the shoulder's new ball. We bring together the new ball and socket to form the new joint.

End of procedure

When it's done, we close your incision and bandage your shoulder. You're watched closely as you become awake and alert again. Follow your care plan for a safe recovery.