WHAT IS TOTAL SHOULDER PROSTHESIS?
Shoulder prosthesis is a treatment method that is applied to release pain and facilitate spacing between the joints in patients experiencing serious pain and have limitation of movement due to arthrosis, i.e. cartilage abrasion, in the shoulder joints. This method provides significant increases in quality of life for individuals experiencing shoulder pain due to arthrosis. The purpose of total shoulder prosthesis surgeries is to restore shoulder functionality and relieve the patient from pain. Especially in cases where the patient experience severe pain, has trouble sleeping at night and is unable to carry out daily tasks, the shoulder prosthesis treatment is the most effective and trusted method of all.
Total Shoulder Prosthesis Surgery
Shoulder prosthesis surgery is one of the most important operations in orthopedics. Thus, the surgeries must be conducted in sterilized surgery rooms by specialized individuals of this field. During the total shoulder prosthesis surgery, the patient is under the influence of general anesthesia. Usually, this procedure takes approximately 2 hours. At the time of the shoulder prosthesis operation, the damaged cartilage tissues are removed and replaced with customized metal prosthesis implants. The most important issue to consider before deciding to have this surgery is the severity of the pain experienced by the patient. If the pain is too severe to keep under control, and the patient’s shoulder movements are seriously limited, the physician in charge may decide to greenlight the total shoulder prosthesis surgery. Additionally, the patient’s age should be taken into account when deciding whether to get this operation. Because it is suggested that the shoulder prosthesis should not be applied in the earlier ages, except for imperative cases. Nevertheless, if the patient experience extreme pain, and is a case of advanced arthrosis, the shoulder prosthesis may be applied in the earlier ages as well.
What Are the Risks Associated with Total Shoulder Prosthesis Surgery? As is the case in almost all surgeries, there may be certain risks associated with the total shoulder prosthesis surgery. The most important of all is the risk of infection. However, the probability of encountering infection in the post-surgical phase is roughly 1%. Aside from that, certain congestions may occur in the patient’s leg vena due to blood-clotting.
Above complications should not intimidate the patient. Because regular blood test and further analyses are conducted prior to the surgery as a precaution against those risks. Moreover, anti-biotics and special blood thinner drugs are prescribed to prevent the risks of infection and blood-clotting in the post-surgical phase. Thus, the risks associated with the shoulder prosthesis surgery are attempted to minimize.