Each year, an estimated 53,000 people require a shoulder replacement. It’s one of the many joint replacement procedures that help people regain their range of motion and mobility. In all three of our offices in Houston and Sugar Land, Texas, J. Michael Bennett, MD, PA, provides sports medicine and orthopedic surgery care. In this blog, he answers some frequently asked questions about shoulder replacement surgery and who could benefit from it.
If you have any of the following conditions, it may lead to a shoulder replacement:
A rare bone disease called avascular necrosis is linked to the need for shoulder surgery.
Your shoulder is one of two ball-and-socket joints in your body. The other is your hip joint. Both are responsible for extensive reach and a wide range of motion. During a shoulder replacement surgery, you’ll be put to sleep under general anesthesia. Dr. Bennett uses the most advanced tools and technology to either remove the damaged part of your shoulder or the entire joint. The joint is replaced by a metal prosthetic ball that operates precisely as your shoulder joint does. The surgery usually takes a couple of hours, and you’ll recover in the hospital for a couple of days. When you go home, your arm will be in a sling for up to 4 weeks, and Dr. Bennett will see you in the office to make sure everything is healing well before you resume your typical activities.
People who respond well to shoulder replacement surgery and have excellent long-term outcomes are those who:
Dr. Bennett does not recommend the procedure if you are obese, depressed, have diabetes, or suffer from Parkinson’s disease.
In most cases, your new prosthetic shoulder joint should last up to two decades. You may need some touch-up surgery in those 20 years, but it’s not common.
If you’re in pain and have lost some or all function in your shoulder, come into one of our three offices in Sugar Land and Houston, Texas, for a consultation with Dr. Bennett. He’ll conduct a comprehensive examination, conduct X-rays, and talk to you about your health and family history to customize a plan for you. If you’ve exhausted the most conservative therapies and are still having shoulder problems, Dr. Bennett will likely begin discussions about a shoulder replacement. Call now or use the online scheduling option to book at your convenience.
