Shoulder Replacement in Portland, OR

Shoulder replacement is typically recommended after years of arthritis, a rotator cuff injury that can't be repaired, or a complex fracture have worn down the joint to the point where physical therapy, medication, and injections no longer provide meaningful relief. Your surgeon may recommend one of two approaches, depending on the condition of your rotator cuff.

A standard, or anatomic, shoulder replacement replaces the damaged ball and socket with an implant that mimics your natural joint, and works best when your rotator cuff tendons are still healthy. A reverse shoulder replacement switches the position of the ball and socket, which allows your deltoid muscle, rather than a damaged rotator cuff, to power the joint. Reverse replacement is often recommended for patients with rotator cuff arthropathy (shoulder arthritis that develops after a large, long-term rotator cuff tear), a prior failed shoulder replacement, or certain complex fractures.

Your surgeon will determine which approach, if either, is right for you based on imaging, your rotator cuff's condition, and your activity goals. If you're still earlier in that conversation, your care team at Orthopedic + Fracture Specialists(opens in a new tab) can walk you through your full range of options.

What to Expect Before, During & After Surgery

Before Your Surgery. In the weeks leading up to your procedure, you'll have a pre-operative appointment where your surgical team reviews your health history and gives you specific instructions on medications to pause beforehand, nutrition, and how to prepare your home for your return, including clearing walkways and arranging help for at least the first few days. You'll also be fitted for the sling you'll wear after surgery.

The Day of Surgery. Please follow the arrival time and check-in instructions provided by your care team. When you arrive, our staff will check you in and guide you through the next steps. Both your surgeon and your anesthesiologist will speak with you before you're taken back to one of our five operating rooms. Shoulder replacement surgery typically takes around an hour and a half, and our physician anesthesiologists are trained in nerve block techniques that numb the shoulder and arm for hours afterward, reducing how much narcotic pain medication you'll need in the first day or two.

After Your Procedure. You'll move to a recovery area staffed by a dedicated nurse, who watches your vitals and helps manage pain as the anesthesia wears off. Many shoulder replacement patients are cleared to go home the same afternoon, once they're medically stable, have pain reasonably controlled with oral medication, and have a caregiver arranged to help at home for the first several days. A nurse from our team typically calls the day after your surgery to check in and answer any questions.

Recovering From Shoulder Replacement

Your recovery plan will depend on your procedure and individual needs. Your surgeon will provide detailed instructions about activity, physical therapy if needed, and returning to work or sports. Before you leave Center for Specialty Surgery, our team will review your discharge instructions and answer questions about your immediate recovery.

Early movement matters. Your surgeon will tell you when to begin gentle elbow range-of-motion exercises, grip strengthening, and scapular mobility exercises. Walking is also encouraged early and often, starting with short, frequent walks and building up as your energy returns. Physical therapy, available in the same building through the team at Orthopedic + Fracture Specialists(opens in a new tab), ill begin when your surgeon says it is appropriate.

Getting dressed takes some practice early on. Button-down or loose, stretchy shirts are easiest in the first few weeks, since you'll want to avoid lifting your operative arm overhead. You also won't be able to drive while taking narcotic pain medication, so plan on arranging rides until your surgeon clears you to drive.

Call your surgeon's office if you notice increasing redness or warmth around the incision, new or worsening drainage, a fever above 101°F, or pain that suddenly gets worse instead of better. For a closer, day-by-day look at recovery, visit How We Get You Home.

Understanding the Risks

Like any surgery, shoulder replacement carries real risks, and we think you deserve a straightforward answer about what those are. Possible risks include infection, bleeding, a reaction to anesthesia, nerve or blood vessel injury, implant loosening over time, and, in some cases, the need for a future revision surgery. Reverse shoulder replacement carries a somewhat different risk profile than standard replacement, since it relies on your deltoid muscle rather than your rotator cuff; your surgeon will walk you through the specifics for your procedure.

We take these risks seriously. Center for Specialty Surgery tracks infection and complication rates every quarter and reports them publicly, rather than keeping that information internal. Our physician anesthesiologists also use nerve block techniques to manage pain with less reliance on narcotic medication, which carries its own risks of dependency and side effects.

If you have specific concerns about how your health history might affect your surgical risk, that conversation is best had directly with your surgeon.

What Shoulder Replacement Costs

Shoulder replacement is billed through your medical insurance, the same way it would be at a hospital, through your surgeon's office, our facility, and your anesthesia provider separately. Having three separate bills can be confusing at first: our facility fee covers the operating room, supplies, and nursing care, while your surgeon's fee and your anesthesia fee are billed on their own.

We accept most major insurance plans; visit our Insurance page for the full list. If you have questions about your specific coverage or estimated cost, our billing team can walk you through what to expect before your surgery date.

Our Safety and Quality Standards

Center for Specialty Surgery has been performing joint replacement surgery since 2003, accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and certified by Medicare. Our infection and complication rates are tracked every quarter and reported publicly, and we've been recognized among Newsweek's Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers(opens in a new tab) in Oregon in 2025, 2026, and 2027.