It’s an exciting era for the countless patients who suffer from significant shoulder pain and the inability to fully use their shoulder! For the thousands of people whose shoulder pain is so intense they couldn’t even raise their arm to comb their hair, the revolutionary Reverse Shoulder System is a Godsend.

The Reverse Shoulder System is designed for people who have “end stage cuff tear arthropathy (ESCTA).” This is a condition in which the bone and muscles of the shoulder joint are so badly damaged by the effects of arthritis or injury that they can no longer allow the shoulder (also called the glenohumeral joint) to function properly.

The system originated in France and has been performed throughout Europe for the past 15 years. “We’re forging new ground here and it’s great to offer patients this option,” says David E. Nonweiler, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Central States Orthopedic Specialists, Inc. “It’s a relatively unusual procedure in this part of the country, but one that I’m sure will become more and more common.” Surgeons at Central States Orthopedic Specialists were the first to perform this ground-breaking procedure in the Tulsa area. Dr. Nonweiler, Jeff A. Fox, M.D., and Michael W. Tanner M.D. of Central States Orthopedic Specialists, are among a growing number of surgeons trained to use this procedure that actually reverses the anatomy of the shoulder to treat ESCTA.

How Does the Reverse Shoulder System Work?

In the standard shoulder replacement surgery, the ball on the humerus or arm bone is removed and replaced with a metal ball implant that fits into a plastic socket in the scapula or shoulder blade. In the reverse shoulder replacement, the implant is reversed, so the ball portion is attached to the scapula or shoulder blade and the socket portion to the humerus. The patient is able to move the joint with the help of the deltoid muscle, the large muscle that forms the rounded contour of the shoulder, rather than the muscles in the damaged rotator cuff.

New Hope for Many

“This device has already made a huge difference in the way we treat shoulders. Patients who have irreparable cuff tears and arthritis are often in serious pain. The Reverse Shoulder will help them considerably,” Dr. Nonweiler says. “It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to tell patients who previously had no options that something now exists just for them.”

As a result of his outstanding results, Phillip Sisco of Fort Smith, Arkansas, is pleased to be the first patient at Central States Orthopedic Specialists to undergo this revolutionary surgery. An accident in January 2004 had rendered torn rotator cuffs in both of Sisco’s shoulders, making him a prime candidate for the Reverse Shoulder. “Dr. Nonweiler repaired my right shoulder in July 2005 and I couldn’t be happier with the movement, flexibility and strength that have been restored to my shoulder!” Sisco says. “I look forward to having him repeat the surgery on my other shoulder in January 2006. To someone like me, the surgery is a miracle.”

Central States Orthopedic Specialists, Inc. (CSOS) is a nationally recognized resource for the treatment of muscle and bone disorders. CSOS offers a wide variety of professional services to patients in communities throughout Oklahoma. CSOS physicians bring to the group a combined total of over 300 years experience, and the practice encompasses every aspect of orthopedic care. Central States Orthopedic Specialists is the largest orthopedic practice in the region, and its physicians consistently provide the highest level of professional service to patients and their families. For more information regarding CSOS, please visit its website at www.csosortho.com.