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Finding Pain Relief and Mobility…Times Two
Catherine Riley, from Point Pleasant, didn’t have to think twice about having a new type of
joint replacement surgery, because her first experience was such a success.
When Catherine Riley recently
underwent an innovative type
of joint replacement surgery
for her left shoulder at Ocean Medical
Center, she didn’t hesitate to have it
done. This was because the 74-year-old
Point Pleasant resident had a reverse total
shoulder replacement surgery for her right
shoulder last year — with great success.
She was looking forward to relieving the
pain and overcoming the lack of flexibility
for both arms.
Catherine’s shoulders were so bad
before her surgeries due to severe arthritis
that she could not even lift her arms
to shoulder height. "In my kitchen, I had
everything sitting on the counter because I
couldn’t reach the overhead cabinets anymore,"
Catherine recalls. After experiencing
a great outcome from her first shoulder surgery, Catherine was once again at
Ocean Medical Center, under the care of
orthopedic surgeon Bruce Stamos, M.D.,
for the second procedure.
Understanding Shoulder Anatomy
Although slightly less common than hip or
knee joint issues, shoulder problems such
as a torn rotator cuff and arthritis can be
equally debilitating and painful.
The shoulder joint is made up of a
rounded ball attached to the upper arm,
and a dishlike socket attached to the
shoulder bone. If a person has a degenerative
condition, like arthritis, the ball does
not rotate smoothly in the socket. This
causes pain and limits motion.
Until recently, the solution to such
problems was to undergo conventional
joint replacement surgery. "But when there
is a degenerative condition with a rotator
cuff injury, conventional surgery will
often relieve some of the pain, but still not
provide for improved range of motion,"
explains Dr. Stamos. This is because the
rotator cuff is what connects the shoulder
muscles to the arm and gives the arm the
power to lift.
A Wonderful New Solution
However, the reverse total shoulder
replacement surgery does not limit mobility
for those with arthritis or rotator cuff
injury. What makes it unique is that the
procedure entails switching the socket
and ball. This means a prosthetic ball
is attached to the shoulder bone and a prosthetic socket is attached to the upper
arm bone. This allows the patient to use
the arm’s deltoid muscle to produce lifting
power, rather than the rotator cuff.
"The best thing about the procedure is it
provides a real solution for a problem that
couldn’t be solved before," says
Dr. Stamos.
In 2004, the Food and Drug
Administration approved the procedure to
be performed in the United States.
Now, Dr. Stamos is one of the
first physicians in the area to
perform this unique and
effective procedure. "It
really improves mobility
and eliminates pain.
I’ve treated many
patients who couldn’t
even lift an arm at
all, but who now can
lift the arm straight
overhead."
Although she won’t
be bowling anytime soon,
Catherine is very pleased with the results of both shoulder surgeries.
"I still need more physical
therapy and will be going to
Meridian Life Fitness in
Point Pleasant Beach,
but I can now lift my
arms over my head,
and I am feeling
very good about
that." Catherine
was very pleased
to find that this
inventive and
effective procedure
could be performed
close to home.
 – Diane Gribbin
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There are several types of arthritis that can
affect your shoulder, the most common of
which are:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis usually affects the shoulder
of the arm you use most frequently, causing
severe pain and sometimes a loss of flexibility
in moving your shoulder.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Although not as common in the shoulder as
in the knees and hips, rheumatoid arthritis
causes pain and weakness in the shoulders
Rotator cuff tears and arthritis
Arthritis can sometimes damage your shoulder
joint enough to cause tears in the rotator
cuff — muscles that surround your shoulder
joint and help you move your arm. This can
cause severe pain and a lack of motion — for
instance not being able to raise your arms
above your head. Rotator cuff tears that go
unrepaired can also lead to arthritis.
Other types of arthritis
Other types of arthritis in your shoulder
include arthritis resulting from an injury, or
avascular necrosis, a disease resulting from
the temporary or permanent loss of the blood
supply to the bones. In cases like these your
physician may recommend surgery to relieve
pain and improve range of motion.
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