Shoulder Replacement Surgery Joint replacement involves surgery
to replace the ends of bones in a damaged joint. This surgery
creates new joint surfaces. In shoulder replacement surgery,
doctors replace the ends of the damaged upper arm bone (humerus)
and usually the shoulder bone (scapula) or cap them with
artificial surfaces lined with plastic or metal and plastic.
Shoulder joint components may be held in place with cement. Or
they may be made with material that allows new bone to grow into
the joint component over time to hold it in place without
cement. The top end of your upper arm bone is shaped like a
ball. Muscles and ligaments hold this ball against a cup-shaped
part of the shoulder bone. Surgeons usually replace the top of
the upper arm bone with a long metal piece, inserted into your
upper arm bone, that has a rounded head. If the cup-shaped
surface of your shoulder bone that cradles your upper arm bone
is also damaged, doctors smooth it and then cap it with a
plastic or metal and plastic piece. Su