Shoulder · Dr. Jason Jones

Shoulder replacement: total, resurfacing and reverse

Shoulder replacement is less common than knee or hip replacement, but just as successful at relieving joint pain. The damaged parts of the shoulder are replaced with a prosthesis, either the ball alone or both the ball and the socket.

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Dr. Jason Jones in cap, mask and eye shield, pulling on surgical gloves before an operation

At a glance

Types
Total, resurfacing, reverse
Replaces
The ball, or ball and socket
Treats
Arthritis, cuff tears, fractures

Is it for you?

Who shoulder replacement helps

The decision should be a cooperative one between you, your family, your family doctor and your orthopaedic surgeon. People who benefit from surgery often have some of these in common.

Pain in everyday tasks

Severe shoulder pain that interferes with reaching into a cabinet, dressing, toileting and washing.

Pain at rest

Moderate to severe pain while resting, sometimes enough to prevent a good night's sleep.

Loss of motion or strength

The shoulder has lost motion, or feels weak.

Arthritis in the joint

Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis after an injury, or a very large, long-standing rotator cuff tear that has led to arthritis (cuff tear arthropathy).

When other treatments stop helping

Joint replacement is a safe and effective way to relieve pain and resume everyday activities.

Types of shoulder replacement

Dr. Jones will talk with you about which type best meets your needs. Ask what implant will be used and why it is right for you.

  • Total shoulder replacementThe arthritic surfaces are replaced with a polished metal ball on a stem and a plastic socket, cemented or press-fit depending on your bone quality. This suits osteoarthritis with a working rotator cuff.
  • Resurfacing hemiarthroplastyOnly the surface of the humeral head is replaced, with a cap and no stem. It preserves bone and avoids the wear and loosening risks of a total replacement in young or very active patients, and is easier to convert later if needed. It suits shoulders where the socket cartilage is intact and there is no fresh fracture.
Dr. Jason Jones operating on a shoulder with his surgical team

Reverse total shoulder replacement

Reverse total shoulder replacement is used for people who have:

  • Completely torn rotator cuffs with severe arm weakness
  • Severe arthritis and rotator cuff tearing (cuff tear arthropathy)
  • A severe fracture
  • A previous shoulder replacement that failed

For these patients, a conventional total shoulder replacement can still leave them with pain, and unable to lift the arm past 90 degrees. Not being able to lift the arm away from the side can be severely debilitating.

In a reverse replacement the ball and socket are switched: a metal ball is attached to the shoulder blade and a plastic socket to the upper arm bone. This lets the deltoid muscle lift the arm instead of the torn rotator cuff.

Your surgeon

Dr. Jason Jones

MD

Dr. Jones is a fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon specializing in the knee and shoulder. He has performed several thousand knee and shoulder procedures, focused on joint preservation and minimally invasive surgery.

  • Fellowship, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York
  • Assistant team physician, New York Jets and New York Islanders
  • Complex shoulder training in Nice, France, with Pascal Boileau
  • Chairman of Orthopedics, Saint Thomas Hospital
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Dr. Jason Jones smiling, arms folded, in his office

Also in Shoulder

Other shoulder problems Dr. Jones treats

Talk to Dr. Jones about your shoulder.

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