GBO Surgeon Dr. Christopher Dolan is one of only a handful of surgeons performing an innovative treatment called “reverse shoulder replacement.”
Who benefits?
- Patients with large rotator cuff tears who have developed a complex type of shoulder arthritis called "cuff tear arthropathy."
What is a reverse shoulder replacement?
- According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
"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."
Candidates for surgery
Do you have:
- A completely torn rotator cuff that cannot be repaired
- Cuff tear arthropathy
- Shoulder arthritis
- A previous shoulder replacement that was unsuccessful
- Severe shoulder pain and difficulty lifting your arm away from your side or over your head
- Experience with other treatments, such as rest, medications, cortisone injections, and physical therapy, that have not relieved shoulder pain
Dr. Dolan recently attended an instructional course in Las Vegas for advanced training for treatment of shoulder arthritis, including updates on the reverse shoulder replacement.