Shoulder Fracture Repair Surgery in Houston

A fractured shoulder can bring any use of the shoulder to a screeching halt. This type of injury typically causes intense pain and makes the shoulder essentially unusable. While most fractures can heal themselves with the aid of conservative treatment, more complicated or severe fractures may be candidates for shoulder fracture repair surgery in Houston.

What Are the Common Causes of a Shoulder Fracture?

Shot of a young man suffering from fractured shoulder while exercising at homeThe human shoulder joint includes three bones. The humerus of the upper arm forms the ball of the ball-and-socket joint, with the scapula or shoulder blade providing the socket. The outward end of the clavicle or collarbone sits on top of this assembly. Any or all of these bones can fracture for a variety of reasons such as:

  • Falls – If you fall and land on your shoulder, you can fracture it. As you get older, the humerus in particular grows increasingly vulnerable to this type of fracture.
  • Auto accidents – An auto collision can throw your shoulder into the car door, fracturing any of the bones that make up the shoulder. This cause can lead to scapula fractures, which usually require extreme force.
  • Work or sports injuries – A hard fall or collision at your job or from a contact sport such as football can fracture any or all of your shoulder’s bones. You may also experience a dislocation as well as a fracture.

What Are the Symptoms of a Shoulder Fracture?

Any kind of shoulder fracture can cause pain, swelling, bruising, and joint deformity, in some cases also causing a grinding sensation when you try to move the joint. However, the exact type and pattern of symptoms you experience will depend on which shoulder bone you fractured. For instance:

  • Man with a Fractured Shoulder suffering from severe pain A fractured clavicle will commonly produce swelling in the form of a bump on top of your shoulder blade.
  • A fractured humerus may cause the whole shoulder to swell severely, with almost no arm motion possible.
  • A fractured scapula causes extreme pain but tends to confine its bruising and swelling to the shoulder blade area.

How Do Surgeons Repair Shoulder Fractures?

Four-fifths of all shoulder fractures can heal correctly without surgery because the bone fragments haven’t strayed out of their proper positions. Unfortunately, the bone fragments in some fracture cases get displaced, meaning they can’t knit normally without resulting in permanent deformity, pain, or loss of function. That’s when you need repair surgery to put those pieces back together.

an orthopedic surgeon explaining to a patient about shoulder fracture treatmentShoulder fracture surgery can take a few different forms, depending on the nature of the damage. For example, many displaced fractures call for fixation surgery. In this procedure, the surgeon repositions and reattaches the fragments with metal hardware.

Damage to the humerus or scapula may interfere with normal ball-and-socket motion. Your surgeon may fix this problem by performing a partial shoulder replacement, with a metal ball in place of a damaged humerus. If damage occurred to the socket portion of the scapula, you might need a reverse total shoulder replacement. This procedure involves the installation of an artificial socket which also contains a metal replacement ball.

Let NW Surgery Help You

If you face a lifetime of shoulder pain and limited motion without surgery, turn to the orthopedic specialists at NW Surgery. Our facility has access to a uniquely fine pool of medical experts, which has led to our longtime status as the finest orthopedic surgery resource in Houston. In addition to shoulder fracture surgery, we can treat other extremity joints and spinal joint issues. We also offer advanced pain management solutions for patients who have failed to find relief through other methods.

Surgeon is prescribing a medicine to aa patient with Shoulder Fracture after the surgery

At NW Surgery, we believe everyone has the right to top-quality medical care, regardless of their health insurance situation. While we work with a variety of insurance policies and carriers, we also welcome the uninsured.

Get the Expertise You Need for That Fractured Shoulder

If you’ve sustained a shoulder fracture with displaced bone components, don’t risk incomplete or abnormal healing by relying solely on non-surgical treatment. Contact NW Surgery, your source for advanced shoulder fracture repair surgery in Houston. Our surgeons’ skill and expertise can help your shoulder bones knit correctly, enabling you to regain the full and comfortable use of this important part of the body. Let us refer you to the ideal specialist for your needs.