Shoulder happens to be a vital part of our body, especially the mechanism with which it facilitates our hands on a day-to-day basis. And thus, shoulder pain can seriously disrupt our daily life, affecting almost everything like- basic grocery shopping to having fun at recreational activities. So, if you are one of those individuals who is suffering from severe shoulder pain due to fractures, arthritis, or rotator cuff injuries, a shoulder replacement surgery can significantly provide instant relief and a direction towards a healthy lifestyle. With access to advanced treatments in metro cities, for e.g., PSI in shoulder replacement surgery Mumbai, you can take the leap of faith as they offer more customized and effective treatment, rather than the old traditional surgery methodologies.
Let us now delve into the knowhow of a new age shoulder replacement surgery and how it can give patients like you, a new hope for a better tomorrow.
Shoulder Replacement Surgery: Know-How
First, you should know how a shoulder replacement surgery works and what it entails. It basically involves substitution of the shoulder joint with artificial implants. It is a ball and socket joint, and replacement surgeries prioritize on crafting these structures to reinstate mobility and relieve pain. The surgical methodology is generally recommended for-
- Bad Fractures: Comminuted breaks in the shoulder bones that cannot be healed with home remedies (or other treatments).
- Chronic rotator cuff tears: where the muscle around the joint are severely damaged, making it nearly impossible to lift your arm because of pain / weakness.
- Severe Arthritis: Specifically, Osteoarthritis (the wear and tear that happens with age), where the cushions between the bones of your shoulder joint wears away, causing stiffness and pain.
- Patients suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis suffers from an autoimmune condition where their respective immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation and ache.
- Avascular necrosis: where the patient is suffering since his or her bone tissue continues to expire with time, due to reduced blood flow.
- Previous Failed Surgery Attempt:
Types of Shoulder Replacement Surgeries:
There are different forms of shoulder replacement surgeries. Any experienced shoulder replacement surgeon in Mumbai would suggest the one that best suits your condition. Let us go through them so that you have a comprehensive understanding beforehand-
- Total Shoulder Replacement – In this case, both the socket (glenoid) and the ball (top of the upper arm bone) are changed. This surgical procedure is mostly recommended for patients suffering from chronic arthritis or extensive impairment to both portions of the shoulder joint.
- Partial Shoulder Replacement – Also known as hemiarthroplasty, is a procedure where only the ball end of the shoulder joint is substituted. This will be the apt surgery for patients who have damaged ball portion but a rather healthy socket like in some fractures.
- Reverse Shoulder Replacement – In the case of reverse shoulder replacement, the positions of the ball and socket joint are interchanged. The socket is affixed to the shoulder blade, while the ball is positioned on the upper arm bone.
If you visit to a renowned hospital in a metro city like Mumbai, the best shoulder replacement doctors will ensure that you get the most suited surgery according to your shoulder condition. You can also find one at one from our platform at shoulderandkneeclinic.com.
Steps Involved in the Complete Surgical Procedure
Since a complete and successful shoulder replacement surgery improves your overall wellbeing, let go through the step-by-step methodology-
- Pre-surgery consultation: Prior taking you to the operation theatre, the doctors will take X-rays and conduct other tests like MRI scans and CT scans to evaluate bone structure, joint mobility and critical tissues. This will give them the data to identify the overall damage happened to your shoulder. High chances that they will also have a conversation with you about your medical history and any medications that you are already following.
- Anesthesia: Like any other pre-surgery routine, you will be undergoing through anesthesia. This will help you to sleep, ensuring that you won’t be feeling any pain during the actual surgery commences.
- Proceeding with Incision: The shoulder replacement surgeon will proceed with the cut from the front or back end of your shoulder to access the affected joint.
- Eliminating Damaged Portions: The worn-out portions of the joint will be removed by the surgeon. This completely depends on the type of shoulder replacement operation.
- Positioning Artificial Parts: The removed parts are substituted with artificial components made of high-end plastic/ ceramic and metal that substitute natural bones and ligaments. These new portions blend together to form a seamless and functioning joint.
- Closing the Incision: In the end, the shoulder replacement surgeon will stitch back the incision or use staples and cover it with bandages, till the area heals by itself.
A Pathway towards Recovery, post-Surgery
Whether you have gone through a shoulder replacement surgery in Mumbai, or any other part of the world, the post-recovery process takes time for any patient who have undergone through it. Here’s what you can expect-
- Hospital Period: Most of the patients who undergoes through this surgery stays admitted in the hospital for a day or two, where the respective doctor monitors the patient condition on a periodic basis. You might get the same treatment schedule.
- Physical Therapy: This is the second stage and this step is a very crucial one as a first step towards holistic recovery. The involvement of a physical therapist is a much needed one in this stage, where the expert will teach you resistance training towards a better shoulder movement by the day.
- Coping with Pain: shoulder replacement per se is not very painful procedure. There may be some amount of pain in the first day of the surgery, but typically from the second day, people are very comfortable.
- Periodic visits and follow-ups: Periodic check-ups with your shoulder replacement surgeon are necessary to monitor the condition of your shoulder. At Shoulder and knee clinic, you will be reminded about your follow-up doctor’s appointment till you recover to the fully. This eliminates unnecessary gaps in your treatment and thereby complications.
Benefits of Shoulder Replacement Surgery:
Now comes the better half of the process. To be very brief, after your shoulder replacement surgery and your rehab phase, you will definitely feel a deep sense of positive energy and overall improved quality of your life. Given below are some of the top benefits that every patient gets after their successful shoulder replacement surgery-
- Relief from pain – Of course, this is the most obvious part towards going through with the surgery. Most of the patients who undergoes through a successful surgery experiences an exponential decline in feeling uneasiness or pain, allowing their prompt return to a normal daily schedule with regular tasks on their calendar. As mentioned earlier, the artificial parts that generally replaces the original structures are crafted to mimic the natural motion of the shoulder joint, minimizing the discomfort caused by the worn-out tissues.
- Enhanced Range of Motion – Suppose a patient have gone through the complete cycle of shoulder replacement surgery in Mumbai or in any other metro city. Post that they will experience a substantial development in the range of motion. For patient who have been suffering from arthritis or fracture, the surgery can restore the joint’s operations back to normal. Boosted mobility enables patients to perform everyday chores and can involve themselves in recreational activities.
- Experience a better quality of life – With reinstated mobility and seamless shoulder function, patients often lead a healthy and enhanced quality of life. Activities that was barred from their life (like- grocery shopping, lifting books and household appliances) once, became a piece of cake for them. This not only helps them physically but mental too, where they felt seen and included in their community.
- Long-term durability – New age shoulder replacement surgeries have levelled up the game and lasts for a long time. Advances in medical technology has brought Patient-Specific Instrumentation (PSI) where the surgical tools and components will rightly suit your personalized surgery catering to the exact anatomical measurements of your joints. This custom shoulder replacement methodology has proven its benefits over the years which sums up to-
- Surgeons felt more comfortable executing the surgery with highest precision, leading to more success rates.
- The above condition, leading to reduced surgery time.
- Patients have reported faster recovery phase as compared to their traditional surgery counterparts. With proper physical therapy and rehab practices, patients can completely heal within a few months.
By now you might have got a gist how a successful shoulder replacement surgery reaps many benefits along with enhancing the quality of life. And if you are among those who are suffering from shoulder joint pains, this procedure might help you get back to your old lifestyle in no time.
You can also opt for the best shoulder replacement doctor in Mumbai from shoulderandkneeclinic.com to consult- whether you actually need to consider surgery or not. And even if you do, what kind of surgery should you need or is it only PSI procedure that will only suit you. Clarify these doubts at the earliest to get the best results.