Dignity Health | hello Healthy | Summer 2018

HelloHealthy | Summer 2018 7 Don’t shrug off shoulder pain It may be time for a new joint Are you struggling with a painful shoulder? Then you know firsthand how tough it can be to get dressed, lift something, or reach up high. The pain may even be so bad that it wakes you up at night. But you might not know about a possible solution: shoulder replacement surgery. It’s not as common as hip and knee replacement surgery, since lower joints bear our weight and we put more wear and tear on them. Still, about 53,000 people in the U.S. have shoulder replacement surgery every year. “And for most, it has a fantastic outcome,” says Jaicharan Iyengar, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with St. Joseph’s Medical Center, who is fellowship-trained in shoulder surgery. “It dramatically eases pain and stiffness. Many people are even able to swing a golf club again.” Most people get an artificial shoulder joint because of severe arthritis. But you may also need a new joint for other painful shoulder problems, such as a torn rotator cuff. As effective as shoulder replacement surgery is, “it’s typically only a wise choice if you’ve tried nonsurgical treatments first and they’re no longer easing your pain,” Dr. Iyengar says. Those first steps include: ●  ● Anti-inflammatory pain relievers. ●  ● Steroid injections. ●  ● Physical therapy. ●  ● An exercise program. What to expect If you do have shoulder surgery, your surgeon will replace the damaged parts of your shoulder with parts typically made of plastic or metal. “It’s generally a very safe procedure,” Dr. Iyengar says. Even so, it’s a major operation that will keep you in the hospital for at least an overnight stay. You’ll also need several weeks of physical therapy afterward. Be aware, too, that shoulder replacement surgery is a highly technical procedure. For the best results, you need a highly experienced surgical team—like the team at St. Joseph’s. “The volume of shoulder replacements performed at St. Joseph’s puts us in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide,” Dr. Iyengar says. Precision counts How long a new shoulder joint lasts depends on how precisely doctors are able to align it with the natural contours of the shoulder. That’s a key reason why you should choose a facility that uses the most up-to-date techniques if you’re considering shoulder replacement surgery. At St. Joseph’s Medical Center, your replacement surgery will be performed with the ExactechGPS. It’s a leading-edge computerized system that guides surgeons as they operate with a 3-D image of your shoulder, which is created prior to surgery. The 3-D image lets surgeons see where to remove bone and exactly place the new joint. That pinpoint accuracy helps keep joints from loosening, says Jaicharan Iyengar, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Joseph’s. To learn more about Dr. Iyengar, visit alpineorthopaedic.com or call 209.948.3333 .