In an anatomic total shoulder replacement, both the ball and the socket are replaced. The implants resemble the natural shape of the bones. Patients with bone-on-bone osteoarthritis without severe deformity and intact rotator cuff tendons are generally good candidates for anatomic total shoulder replacement surgery.
This animation explains an anatomic total shoulder replacement surgery.
Another type of shoulder replacement is called reverse total shoulder replacement. In a reverse total shoulder replacement, the socket and ball shoulder implants are switched or “reversed." The ball is fixed to the socket, and the socket is fixed to the upper end of the humerus, which will rely on different muscles to function than an anatomic total shoulder. Reverse shoulder replacements are used for people with completely torn rotator cuffs and severe arm weakness, those with effects of severe arthritis from chronic rotator cuff tears called cuff tear arthropathy, cases of failed previous shoulder replacements, and complex humeral head fractures with or without underlying arthritis.
This animation explains a reverse total replacement surgery.
This surgical video shows a reverse total shoulder replacement being performed in an operating room.