Shoulder Replacement Surgery

Available at MidAmerica’s Palos Hills and Mokena Locations

What is Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

If you suffer from chronic shoulder pain that affects your ability to perform daily activities, go to work, or play sports, then you may be a candidate for shoulder replacement surgery. MidAmerica’s experienced shoulder specialists offer premium solutions for shoulder replacement candidates. The award-winning physicians at MidAmerica’s Total Joint Clinic are experts in the field of shoulder replacement surgery and offer treatment at our Palos Hills and Mokena locations.

Patient Education

MidAmerica believes that patient education is vital to providing the highest quality care for shoulder pain. Click on a title of a shoulder pain treatment to learn more.

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Shoulder Anatomy

The shoulder is made up of three bones: the upper arm bone called the “humerus,” the shoulder blade called the “scapula” and the collarbone called the “clavicle”.The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that allows us to move our arm freely in all directions. The socket is called the “glenoid”. Joints between bones are able to glide effortlessly due to articular cartilage, a smooth substance that protects and lubricates the joints where bones meet.

Shoulder replacement surgery, as performed by a MidAmerica shoulder specialist, removes damaged parts of the shoulder and replaces them with artificial components, known as a prosthesis, which can consist of either two or three parts, depending on the surgery required: A metal humeral prosthesis may replace the existing humerus. A metal humeral head prosthesis may replace the humeral head (ball joint). A plastic glenoid component may replace the surface of the glenoid socket. The most common causes of shoulder pain include: Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis Injury Rotator Cuff Tears Avascular Necrosis

Examination at MidAmercia

The fellowship-trained physicians at MidAmerica’s Total Joint Clinic are dedicated to diagnosing and treating your shoulder pain using modern nonoperative and operative techniques. Your physician will:

Ask you to indicate the severity of your shoulder pain on a pain scale. Ask questions regarding any other health conditions you may have. Palpate all over the shoulder feeling for pain and tenderness, deformities and abnormal muscle development. Conduct a physical exam to determine the range of motion in your shoulder, which may involve moving your arm in a certain way to demonstrate where the pain originates. Order a blood test to further evaluate the cause of your shoulder pain. An elevated white blood cell count raises suspicion of infection in your shoulder. Order an X-Ray or MRI to determine if there are any problems such as, cartilage deterioration or a rotator cuff tear, with the structure of your shoulder.

Treatment at MidAmerica’s Total Joint Clinic

A variety of non-surgical treatments exist for managing shoulder pain, some of which include:

Your physician may recommend a period of rest for your injured shoulder, elevating the shoulder above the heart to reduce inflammation. Applying a cold pack to the affected area at 20-minute intervals for the first 48 hours after an injury can reduce inflammation and pain, while applying heat can promote blood flow to the area.

Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen and naproxen, which temporarily relieve inflammation of the shoulder joints.

administered directly into the shoulder joint to lower inflammation in the affected area.

Your physician may recommend you follow a physical therapy routine that includes stretching and resistance exercises designed to strengthen a weak or damaged shoulder. Light resistance exercises with dumbbells can speed healing by increasing blood flow to the affected area.

If you suffer from severe shoulder pain and non-surgical methods have not worked in managing your symptoms, you may be a candidate for shoulder replacement surgery.

Shoulder Replacement Surgery

Although shoulder replacement surgery is less common than knee or hip arthroplasty, it is just as effective in treating and relieving joint pain. Around 53,000 people have shoulder replacement surgery annually in the US according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Conventional shoulder replacement surgery involves the removal of damaged bone or cartilage and the implementation of a prosthesis that mimics the normal anatomy of the shoulder. A plastic “cup” is fitted into the glenoid socket, while a metal ball— mimicking the ball joint at the top of the humeral bone—is attached to the humerus.A conventional procedure relies on the rotator cuff to function properly. In a patient with a large rotator cuff tear, these muscles no longer function.

In a reverse total shoulder replacement, the socket and metal ball are switched. The metal ball is fixed to the glenoid socket while the plastic cup is fixed to the upper end of the humerus. This is a more effective procedure for patients with cuff tear arthroplasty, as it relies on the deltoid muscle, instead of the rotator cuff, to power and position the arm. Immediately after surgery, your physician will prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection. Most patients go home from the hospital 1-2 days after surgery. Your physician will assign you a physical therapy routine to start immediately after your return home. These exercises, when performed alongside one of MidAmerica’s Certified Physical Therapists, will increase flexibility, strength, and range of motion over time. While certain activities such as driving and sports will be restricted for the first 1-3 months, most patients are able to return to normal activities without pain within six months.

Why MidAmerica?

At MidAmerica, we aim to provide the highest quality care marked by courtesy, respect and integrity. To make an appointment at our Total Joint Clinic, or to learn more about MidAmerica’s Palos Hills and Mokena clinics and the different treatment options available to you, call (708) 237-7200. Most insurance plans are accepted. If you would like to learn more about shoulder replacement surgery, or other orthopaedic conditions, be sure to visit our blog.

Specialists

MidAmerica’s Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Specialist Dr. Adam F. Meisel strives to help his patients regain and maintain their active lifestyles—from high level competitive athletes, to the recreational weekend warrior—by offering both operative and non-operative approaches to treatment. He feels it is important to stay on the cutting edge of medicine in order to provide the best possible care for his patients..

Hip Replacement Surgery

What is Hip Arthroplasty?

Common Causes of Hip Pain

Examination at MidAmerica

Treatment at MidAmerica’s Total Joint Clinic

Dr. Sarkis Bedikian

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON/HIP & KNEE SPECIALIST

MidAmerica’s orthopaedic surgeon and hip specialist, Dr. Sarkis Bedikian, specializes in hip replacement surgery. He has received honors and awards including recognition for medical leadership and induction into academic honor societies.

Dr. Bedikian’s goal is to return his patients to a full, active lifestyle, striving to dramatically improve their overall quality of life.

Read more

Total Knee Replacement Surgery

What is Total Knee Replacement Surgery?

Common Causes of Knee Pain and Damage

Examination at MidAmerica

Treatment at MidAmerica’s Total Joint Clinic

Recovery

Dr. Sarkis Bedikian

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON/HIP & KNEE SPECIALIST

Dr. Sarkis Bedikian, a knee specialist, performs specialized knee treatment and surgery at MidAmerica. He has received honors and awards including recognition for medical leadership and induction into academic honor societies.

Whether the issue is a worn hip or knee in need of replacement or revision, Dr. Bedikian strives to dramatically improve the quality of life for his patients.

Read more

Learn about Marty's recovery journey

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder Anatomy

Your shoulder is made up of three bones: your upper arm bone (humerus), your shoulder blade (scapula), and your collarbone (clavicle). The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint: The ball, or head, of your upper arm bone fits into a shallow socket in your shoulder blade. This socket is called the glenoid. The surfaces of the bones where they touch are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth substance that protects the bones and enables them to move easily. A thin, smooth tissue called synovial membrane covers all remaining surfaces inside the shoulder joint. In a healthy shoulder, this membrane makes a small amount of fluid that lubricates the cartilage and eliminates almost any friction in your shoulder.

The muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder provide stability and support. All of these structures allow the shoulder to rotate through a greater range of motion than any other joint in the body. Learn more about Shoulder Anatomy

Patient Education

MidAmerica believes that patient education is vital to providing the highest quality care for shoulder pain. Click on a title of a common shoulder pain condition to learn more.

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Causes of Shoulder Pain

Several conditions can cause shoulder pain and disability, and lead patients to consider shoulder joint replacement surgery. CLICK A HEADING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH Condition.

Treatments for Shoulder Pain

Although shoulder joint replacement is less common than knee or hip replacement, it is just as successful in relieving joint pain. Shoulder replacement surgery was first performed in the United States in the 1950s to treat severe shoulder fractures. Over the years, shoulder joint replacement has come to be used for many other painful conditions of the shoulder, such as different forms of arthritis. In shoulder replacement surgery, the damaged parts of the shoulder are removed and replaced with artificial components, called a prosthesis. The treatment options are either replacement of just the head of the humerus bone (ball), or replacement of both the ball and the socket (glenoid).

Today, about 53,000 people in the U.S. have shoulder replacement surgery each year, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This compares to more than 900,000 Americans a year who have knee and hip replacement surgery. If nonsurgical treatments like medications and activity changes are no longer helpful for relieving pain, you may want to consider shoulder joint replacement surgery. Joint replacement surgery is a safe and effective procedure to relieve pain and help you resume everyday activities. Whether you have just begun exploring treatment options or have already decided to have shoulder joint replacement surgery, this article will help you understand more about this valuable procedure.

Total Shoulder Replacement

A conventional shoulder replacement device mimics the normal anatomy of the shoulder: a plastic "cup" is fitted into the shoulder socket (glenoid), and a metal "ball" is attached to the top of the upper arm bone (humerus). In a reverse total shoulder replacement, the socket and metal ball are switched. The metal ball is fixed to the socket and the plastic cup is fixed to the upper end of the humerus. In a healthy shoulder, the "ball" of the humerus is held in the shoulder socket by several muscles and tendons, including the rotator cuff tendon. A reverse total shoulder replacement works better for people with cuff tear arthropathy because it relies on different muscles to move the arm. In a healthy shoulder, the rotator cuff muscles help position and power the arm during range of motion. A conventional replacement device also uses the rotator cuff muscles to function properly. In a patient with a large rotator cuff tear and cuff tear arthropathy, these muscles no longer function. The reverse total shoulder replacement relies on the deltoid muscle, instead of the rotator cuff, to power and position the arm.

Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement

This procedure is most often used for patients who have had a failed total shoulder replacement. It is also helpful for patients who have had a complete tear of the rotator cuff, especially those whose injuries have led to an arthritic condition called cuff tear arthropathy.

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Knee Pain

Knee Anatomy

Causes of Chronic Knee Pain

Treatments for Knee Pain

Total Knee Replacement

Learn More About Dr. Bedikian & ConforMIS

Hip Pain

Hip Anatomy

The hip joint is one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body. This ball-and-socket joint allows the leg to move and rotate while keeping the body stable and balanced. The hip joints are versatile joints. They support your body while allowing you to perform a wide range of activities. Because the hip joints bear such a heavy load, they are vulnerable to injury and to osteoarthritis. Learn more about Hip Joint Anatomy

Patient Education

MidAmerica believes that patient education is vital to providing the highest quality care for hip pain. Click on a title of a common hip pain condition to learn more.

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Causes of Hip Pain

The most common cause of chronic hip pain and disability is arthritis. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic arthritis are the most common forms of this disease. CLICK A HEADING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH CONDITION.

Total Hip Replacement

In a total hip replacement (also called total hip arthroplasty), the damaged bone and cartilage is removed and replaced with prosthetic components. The damaged femoral head is removed and replaced with a metal stem that is placed into the hollow center of the femur. The femoral stem may be either cemented or "press fit" into the bone. A metal or ceramic ball is placed on the upper part of the stem. This ball replaces the damaged femoral head that was removed. The damaged cartilage surface of the socket (acetabulum) is removed and replaced with a metal socket. Screws or cement are sometimes used to hold the socket in place. A plastic, ceramic, or metal spacer is inserted between the new ball and the socket to allow for a smooth gliding surface.

Patient Testimonial

Don't take our word for it. Listen to what our patients have to say!

George Schleyer, a 55-year-old father of three and grandfather of 2, shares how Dr. Bedikian helped him get relief from hip pain and return to an active lifestyle.