Risks

Although rare, it's possible that shoulder replacement surgery won't lessen your pain or make it go away completely. The surgery may not fully restore the movement or strength of the joint. In some cases, another surgery may be needed.

Potential complications of shoulder replacement surgery include:

• Dislocation. It's possible for the ball of your new joint to come out of the socket.
• Fracture. The humerus bone, the scapula or the glenoid bone can break during or after surgery.
• Implant loosening. Shoulder replacement components are durable, but they may loosen or become worn over time. In some cases, you may need another surgery to replace the loose components.
• Rotator cuff failure. The group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint (the rotator cuff) occasionally wear out after a partial or total anatomic shoulder replacement.
• Nerve damage. Nerves in the area where the implant is placed can be injured. Nerve damage can cause numbness, weakness and pain.
• Blood clots. Clots can form in the veins of the leg or arm after surgery. This can be dangerous because a piece of a clot can break off and travel to the lung, the heart or, rarely, the brain.
• Infection. Infection can occur at the incision site or in the deeper tissue. Surgery is sometimes needed to treat it.