Shoulder replacement surgery removes damaged areas of the shoulder and replaces them with metal and plastic implants through arthroplasty. The procedure can relieve your pain, improve strength, increase your range of motion, and enable you to use your shoulder and arm.

At Kimball Health Services, we offer advanced shoulder replacement at our state-of-the-art facility in Kimball, NE. Our orthopedic team understands how shoulder pain can limit your arm usage. Therefore, our shoulder replacement surgery is focused on alleviating your symptoms to help improve mobility and quality of life. 

Your shoulder joint is made up of bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments and can perform a greater range of motion than any other joint. Bones of the shoulder joint include:

• Clavicle or the collarbone
• Scapula or the shoulder blade
• Humerus or the upper arm bone

The round head of the upper arm bone, called the ball, fits into a shallow socket in the shoulder blade. The clavicle attaches your shoulder to the rib cage and also connects with the shoulder blade at the acromioclavicular joint. 

Damage to the shoulder joint may cause pain, weakness, and stiffness, resulting in problems in the movement of the arms and shoulder. 

A shoulder replacement may be required depending on the size and location of the damage, your age, the duration of symptoms, and the limitation of the range of motion.

We may recommend shoulder replacement surgery to relieve pain and other symptoms due to damage to the shoulder joint.

Your shoulder joint can get damaged from the following conditions:

• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint condition that damages the cartilage covering the ends of bones.
• Rotator cuff injuries: The rotator cuff refers to muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. Rotator cuff injuries involve damage to tendons, cartilage, and bone in the shoulder joint.
• Fractures: Fractures of the upper end of the humerus may require replacement in the case of injury or when the prior surgery for fracture fixation has failed.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that affects the joints, causing inflammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness. 
• Osteonecrosis: It is a condition in which bone tissue collapses due to a lack of blood supply.

Based on the type of joint damage you have, we recommend shoulder replacement options. 

• Total shoulder replacement: This is the most common type of shoulder replacement, in which both the ball and the socket are replaced. It attaches a metal ball at the shoulder blade and a plastic cup on the socket at the upper arm bone. These implants resemble the natural shape of the bones. 
• Reverse shoulder replacement: This option is preferred in cases where your rotator cuff is severely damaged. It replaces both the ball and the socket, but the implants are reversed. The metal ball is attached to the shoulder blade, and the plastic socket is attached to the upper arm bone. 
• Partial shoulder replacement: This option is recommended when the ball side of the joint is damaged and is the only thing that gets replaced.

We will evaluate your shoulder before your surgery is scheduled. The evaluation may involve reviewing your symptoms, physical examination, and X-rays of the affected area.

Our orthopedic team will inform you what you need to do to prepare for surgery. We will ask you about your medical history in order to determine which medications to avoid or continue. You will also have the chance to ask any questions you may have about the surgery and recovery process. 

Shoulder replacement takes about three hours, including the time required for the effects of anesthesia to wear off. We utilize MicroPort Orthopedic products in our joint replacement surgeries.

The recovery period depends on the type of surgery you had and may require several follow-up visits. We will also inform you of specific precautions to take and the limitations of physical activity. 

You may be asked to avoid physical activities that involve lifting, pushing, or stretching your affected arm. Please talk to the doctor to know about when you can start driving. 

You may have to wear your arms in a sling for most of your recovery. We will likely recommend physical therapy to gradually improve the function and mobility of your new joints.

At Kimball Health Services, we take a patient-focused approach to help you regain mobility and alleviate symptoms so you can enjoy a better quality of life.

As one of the top critical access hospitals in the nation, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. 

For appointments, call us at 308-235-1966 or fill out our online form. We're here for you whenever you need us.