Blog for Panorama Orthopedics
Shoulder pain? You have options
Note: This is the final post in a three-part series on shoulder replacement surgery.
If you’re experiencing severe shoulder pain, don’t shrug it off. You have options, even if you think you’ve tried everything and a total shoulder replacement isn't the right fit.
If you are experiencing pain or have a limited range of motion, there are many possibilities that you can discuss with the doctors at Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center in metro Denver. There are nonoperative treatments, as well as different types of surgery, including partial shoulder replacement surgery.
Dr. Douglas Straehley said that for every 100 people who have had shoulder replacement, approximately 5 percent have hemiarthroplasties, or limited shoulder replacement surgery.
The goal with any type of shoulder replacement surgery is to improve people’s function and movement, to relieve pain, and for the doctors at Panorama, to conserve bone.
“We really try to be as conservative as possible in terms of preserving bone stock,” said Dr. Straehley. “We always want to conserve bone.”
Partial shoulder replacement, for select patients, can be the perfect fit. It also leaves open the option of a full replacement down the road.
An example of when partial shoulder replacement surgery is used is in cases of Cuff Tear Arthropathy (CTA), which causes a great deal of pain even for patients who still have enough strength to raise their arms.
“This is an answer for that subset of Cuff Arthropathy patients,” said Dr. Straehley. “The vast majority of patients that I do a CTA on, they’re out there doing just fine.”
Shoulder surgery is highly customized to meet the specific needs of individual patients since every case is unique. Discussing your options with a doctor is the first step.
The information on this site is purely informational and may not pertain to your specific ailment. It should not be taken in lieu of a doctor's advice!
