Shoulder Arthritis

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease caused by progressive wear and tear on a joint. This may occur as a "normal" part of aging or due to injuries resulting in uneven distribution of weight across the joint (post-traumatic).
Arthritis initially results in damage to cartilage covering the joints and, later, in damage to the underlying bone.
In the shoulder region, this wear and tear results in the abrasion of cartilage particles from the end of the upper arm bone (humerus) and shoulder socket, which is formed by the shoulder blade (scapula). The cartilage particles trigger inflammatory processes, resulting in pain and stiffness (restricted range of motion) during shoulder movement.

Diagnosis:

If your doctor suspects that you have shoulder arthritis, X-rays of the shoulder in different positions will be obtained in order to assess the severity of arthritis.
If surgery is indicated, CT and MRI studies will be needed for adequate preoperative planning.

Treatment:

There are two basic approaches to treatment of shoulder arthritis: conservative and surgical.

Conservative Treatment:

If your doctor decides to treat your arthritis conservatively, treatment consists of the following measures:

Medications to reduce pain and inflammation
Cartilage regeneration products
Intra-articular injections (injection of medications directly into the joint)
Physiotherapy

Surgical Treatment:

In shoulder replacement surgery, the arthritic joint surfaces of the humerus and shoulder blade are replaced through a skin incision, which is approximately 15 cm in length and extends from the clavicle towards the upper arm. The affected part of the humerus is removed and replaced with a new joint surface.
The affected cartilage and bone of the shoulder blade socket is also removed and replaced with an artificial socket.
We use a shoulder replacement designed specifically to additionally compensate for the rotator cuff damage that generally occurs in combination with shoulder arthritis. Optimal results can thus be achieved with this sophisticated system.
After surgery, the operated shoulder will be immobilised in a device called an abduction cushion for approximately 6 weeks (the abduction cushion holds the bent arm away from the body at a comfortable angle). An intensive programme of postoperative physiotherapy will also be started to gradually re-establish shoulder mobility and strength.