Shoulder arthroplasty or replacement is usually performed to relieve pain in arthritic shoulders.
The first arthroplasty was performed in 1893 and was made of platinum and rubber. In the last 30 years Shoulder replacement has gained increasing popularity and is now a common,successful and reliable procedure for pain relief.
A variety of types of replacement are available including;
replacement of the humeral head (ball) only - hemiarthroplasty
replacement of the ball and socket - total shoulder arthroplasty
surface replacement of the head e.g. Copeland or Global Cap prostheses
replacement of the shoulder when the majority of the rotator cuff muscles have torn or degenerated away(rotator cuff arthropathy) - reverse geometry or Delta prosthesis.
