Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement a 'Game Changer' for Patients

Birmingham Medical News

Wayne McGough, MD

Thousands of people undergo conventional anatomic shoulder replacements each year for relief from arthritis pain, but for those who also have rotator cuff tears, the conventional procedure may not be the best option. A reverse total shoulder replacement can relieve arthritis pain in these patients and may provide better outcomes following surgery.

"A reverse total shoulder replacement doesn't replace the rotator cuff. It is designed to accommodate for the lack of a rotator cuff," says Wayne McGough, MD, of Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center. "With the reverse shoulder replacement, you can knock out two birds with one stone. It is a complete shoulder replacement, so it will alleviate the arthritis pain, and it is potentially more successful in patients with rotator cuff issues because it relies on different muscles to move the arm and it is intrinsically more stable than an anatomic total shoulder."

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons...

To read the entire Birmingham Medical News article, written by Ann DeBellis click here.