Expert Shoulder Repair Surgery

Performed in the state-of-the-art sterile operating rooms at Hospital Azar, shoulder arthroplasty is an open surgical procedure that generally takes 2 hours. Here is how our orthopedic specialists perform the surgery:

1. Anesthesia & Incision: You are placed under general anesthesia combined with a regional nerve block for superior pain management. The surgeon makes an incision over the front of the shoulder to access the joint.

2. Removal of Damaged Bone: The surgeon carefully removes the arthritic, damaged head of the humerus (the “ball”) and prepares the glenoid (the “socket”).

3. Prosthetic Implantation:

   • In a Standard Total Shoulder Replacement: A polished titanium or cobalt-chrome metal ball is attached to a stem inserted inside the humerus, and a high-density plastic socket is secured to the shoulder blade.

   • In a Reverse Shoulder Replacement: The anatomy is “reversed”—the metal ball is attached to the shoulder bone, and the plastic socket is attached to the humerus. This allows the deltoid muscle (instead of a damaged rotator cuff) to lift the arm.

4. Closure & Recovery: The surrounding muscles and tendons are meticulously repaired and closed with internal sutures. Your arm is placed in a specialized immobilizer sling as you are transferred to your private recovery suite to begin the first phase of rehabilitation.

1. Anesthesia & Preparation: The procedure is performed in a sterile, HEPA-filtered operating room under general anesthesia or a regional nerve block with IV sedation, ensuring you are completely comfortable and pain-free.

2. Joint Debridement (Arthroscopy): Often, surgeons begin with minimally invasive ankle arthroscopy. Using a micro-camera (arthroscope) inserted through tiny keyhole incisions, the surgeon inspects the joint interior and removes inflamed tissue, loose cartilage, and bone spurs.

3. Structural Repair & Stabilization: For the reconstructive phase, the surgeon makes a precise incision on the outside of the ankle. Using advanced bio-absorbable suture anchors placed directly into the bone (fibula), the surgeon meticulously reattaches and tightens the torn ligaments. If the native ligaments are too severely degraded, a tendon graft may be utilized to rebuild the joint’s support system.

4. Reinforcement: In techniques like the Broström-Gould procedure, the repaired ligaments are further reinforced using a band of local tissue (the extensor retinaculum) to create a robust, double-layered stabilization.

5. Closure & Immobilization: The incisions are closed with sutures, and the ankle is placed in a sterile dressing and a rigid cast or splint to hold the joint perfectly still while the ligaments heal and fuse back to the bone.