Total Shoulder Replacement Surgeon in Illinois

What Is a Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Total shoulder replacement becomes necessary when shoulder stiffness caused by arthritis or degenerative joint disease isn’t responding to other treatments; the patient has drastically decreased shoulder joint mobility and the pain has become chronic. Total shoulder replacement surgery replaces the bone surfaces of the shoulder joint with a specially reinforced synthetic socket. This surgery replaces the damaged and worn-out parts of the shoulder joint to restore normal shoulder function, relieve pain, and improve mobility and range of motion.

Do I Need Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Your orthopedic specialist will help you decide if total shoulder replacement surgery is the right treatment for your shoulder pain. Total shoulder replacement surgery may be recommended for patients who experience:

• Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis that has caused significant joint damage.
• A traumatic shoulder injury such as a fracture resulted in chronic pain or deformity of the shoulder socket. 
• Severe shoulder pain and limited range of motion that doesn’t respond to conservative treatment like physical therapy, medication, and rest. 
• Patients for whom arthroscopic repair surgeries have been unsuccessful.

Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery and Recovery

Suppose you and your orthopedic specialist decide that total shoulder replacement surgery is the right treatment option for you. In that case, they’ll walk you through the pre-surgical testing, including imaging like X-rays and a CT to custom plan your surgery—preoperative blood work is usually needed for patients undergoing anesthesia. Your orthopedic surgeon will instruct you on the surgical procedure, review your medical history, and discuss any current medications you’re taking. 

Following your orthopedic surgeon’s post-operative care instructions carefully is vital to prevent reinjury and infection and ensure a successful outcome. Ensuring the success of your surgery includes taking all medications as prescribed, avoiding certain activities and movements that could interfere with healing at the surgical site, and following through with all physical therapy recommendations. Your shoulder will be immobilized briefly after surgery to aid in recovery. Your orthopedic team will walk you through how to wear the sling for maximum healing benefits. 

To ensure a successful recovery:

• Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis that has caused significant joint damage.
• A traumatic shoulder injury such as a fracture resulted in chronic pain or deformity of the shoulder socket. 
• Severe shoulder pain and limited range of motion that doesn’t respond to conservative treatment like physical therapy, medication, and rest. 
• Patients for whom arthroscopic repair surgeries have been unsuccessful.

Total Shoulder Replacement In Illinois

For more information on how Suburban Orthopaedics can help you with your shoulder pain, give us a call or schedule an appointment online with one of our orthopedic shoulder specialists. We’re here to answer your questions if you’re considering total shoulder replacement. We serve patients in Bartlett, IL, Elgin, IL, Schaumburg, IL, and Chicago, IL.