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When Is Shoulder Surgery Not Appropriate?

Even though shoulder surgery may be an effective way to minimize or eliminate shoulder pain, your doctor may decide that shoulder replacement surgery is not appropriate for you. Reasons could include:

  • You have an infection or a history of infection
  • You don't have enough bone, or the bone is not strong enough to support a new shoulder
  • You have injured nerves in your shoulder area
  • You have injured or nonfunctional shoulder muscles
  • Your shoulder is severely unstable
  • Your bones are not fully grown or developed
  • You have noticeable bone loss or a severe decrease in bone mass (osteoporosis)
  • Your shoulder joint has been previously fused and is stable, functional, and painless
  • You have rheumatoid arthritis and active/history of skin lesions (due to increased risk of infection)
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Talk to your surgeon about whether joint replacement or another treatment is right for you and the risks of the procedure, including the risk of implant wear, loosening or failure, and pain, swelling and infection. Zimmer Biomet does not practice medicine; only a surgeon can answer your questions regarding your individual symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.