A shoulder prosthesis is an artificial joint of the shoulder.
During the placement of a shoulder prosthesis, the 2 bone sections (the humeral head and the pan on the scapula) are re-lined with a metal and a plastic layer in the place of the disappeared and/or damaged cartilage.
With special precision instruments, the surgeon will remove the damaged surfaces, and the implants will be fixed in the right place and with the right orientation. The fixation can be with or without bone cement .
Both fixation techniques are equally valid, but depending on the type of prosthesis and certain specific characteristics of the bone, your surgeon will choose one or the other fixation technique.
The condition for placing an anatomical shoulder prosthesis is that the tendons (rotator cuff) are intact and of good quality.
In shoulder arthrosis where there are no functioning rotator cuff tendons, the shoulder head will become unstable and shift upwards, as the tendons are no longer there to hold it in place. An anatomical shoulder prosthesis does not help. In these cases, a so-called "reverse prosthesis" is usually chosen.
The surgeon will change the anatomy to obtain a better function in the shoulder: the ball of the prosthesis will be attached to the shoulder blade, and the socket on the upper arm. This prosthesis needs the cuff tendons much less to function.
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