Do You Still Have a Rotator Cuff After Reverse Shoulder Replacement?

The answer in the majority of patients is yes.

We’re doing more and more reverses in patients who have intact rotator cuffs. We detach part of the rotator cuff, the subscapularis, and then reattach it for surgery. The less of the cuff, the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor, we leave, and we don’t mess with it.

If all those tendons or some are torn, and we’re doing a reverse shoulder replacement because you have a massive rotator cuff tear, we don’t reattach them. That’s why we’re doing the surgery; because the muscles are gone. Evaluating these unique anatomical differences is a crucial part of your pre-operative planning and home prep. For patients undergoing a modern same day shoulder surgery, you need to replace the whole joint to make up for the fact that those tendons will never be able to be successfully reattached and healed. So if they’re intact, you leave them alone. If they’re torn, we leave them alone.

You need to replace the whole joint to make up for the fact that those tendons will never be able to be successfully reattached and healed. So if they’re intact, you leave them alone. If they’re torn, we leave them alone.

In reverse shoulder replacement, we don’t mess with the rotator cuff other than the subscapularis muscle. We have to temporarily remove and then reattach it during the operation to perform the procedure. Shifting your expectations about how a reverse implant functions is a vital part of navigating your early recovery timeline.

Partnering with an expert Dallas Shoulder Surgeon ensures that these intricate, muscle-sparing techniques are performed with the highest level of precision to maximize your long-term mobility.

Advanced techniques and exceptional results. Schedule a shoulder replacement consultation with Dr. Kruse at (469) 717-4674.