Shoulder TEP

The term shoulder TEP stands for shoulder total endoprosthesis and thus describes a complete replacement of both joint partners of the shoulder joint. A shoulder TEP is usually necessary when both joint partners are affected by severe degenerative changes. In most cases, this joint degeneration is caused by arthrosis of the shoulder joint, but can also be caused by a rheumatic disease or traumatic injury to the shoulder. Through the operation and subsequent physiotherapy, the pain can be significantly reduced and the functionality of the joint can again improve significantly.

What is done during an operation?

A shoulder TEP is used under general anesthesia, usually the shoulder is locally anesthetized first, which means that less medication is required for general anesthesia. First, the healthy structures such as muscles, tendons and ligaments are prepared sideways, and then both the joint head and the socket are removed. There are various options for the design of the joint replacement, depending on the condition of the muscles surrounding the shoulder and the bone in which the shoulder TEP is to be anchored.

If the rotator cuff is in a rather poor condition, an inverse shoulder prosthesis can be used, in which the convex and concave parts of the joint are interchanged. This guarantees better stability and is mainly used for patients of advanced age. A shoulder TEP offers a better result in terms of freedom of movement.

The joint head can be fixed in the humerus with a prosthesis shaft. It is possible to cement this shaft into the bone, which promises greater stability, but makes it more difficult to replace the prosthesis. An alternative to the shaft prosthesis is to place a metal cap on the humeral head.

OP Duration

The surgery lasts between 1.5 and 2.5 hours, after which the patient usually stays in the recovery room under supervision for between 1 and 3 hours and is then usually transferred to a normal ward.