Shoulder surgery

From sleepless nights to full recovery, Bradley shares his success with shoulder replacement surgery at Allina Health Orthopedics.

We bring every bit of training and experience possible to bear with your case, no matter how complex. We combine a depth of training and experience with the latest research and techniques to not only provide relief but allow you to live your life.

Our team is deeply dedicated to getting you back to living your best life.

• We are fellowship trained. After medical school and orthopedic surgical residency, our surgeons pursue above-and-beyond, hyper-specialized training focused on shoulder surgery, graduating from the most prestigious academic institutions and hospitals in the country. Our shoulder surgeons focus only on the shoulder, allowing them to be the best at what they do and stay current on the latest research and techniques. In 2024, our surgeons performed thousands of shoulder joint surgeries and that number is rising. This level of expertise is why other professionals turn to us for their toughest cases, and it is also why we are trusted with the care of professional athletes—we're the official care team of the MNUFC Major League Soccer team.
• We do research. With our experience, education and team spirit, we know most everything there is to currently know—but that's still not enough. Many of our surgeons lead or participate in research and clinical trials and publish findings in esteemed peer-reviewed medical journals to keep our knowledge sharp, share it and move toward finding ever more modern, effective solutions. Our surgeons also participate in multicenter studies with prominent academic centers around the country to make sure that you have access to the most up-to-date, evidence-based care available.
• We provide coordinated, interdisciplinary care. We help coordinate your care, from optimizing your health before your surgery to completion of your rehabilitation (if you need it). If you have a complex case, need concurrent care from other specialists or physical therapy, we make sure all your needs are met within our system whenever possible.
• We are trusted by other professionals. We are the surgeons to whom other surgeons send their most complex patients. We are happy to provide a second, third or even fourth opinion to make sure the treatment fits the condition.
• We are awarded for our work. Our success is publicly recognized and celebrated. Our orthopedic program and facilities are regularly named for excellence in care and expertise and many of our surgeons make regular appearances on both Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and Minnesota Monthly's Top Doctors listings. This means other professional providers vote for us as the person whom they would see or recommend for their patients.
• Our patients are satisfied. The most important part is that at the end of your surgery, treatment and/or rehabilitation that you feel good and can return to the life you love. Our team regularly receives excellent satisfaction scores from patients.

• We see surgery as the last resort. When you see us for a consultation, the first thing we do is listen. Then we help you consider your options based on your symptoms, the data and your goals. Although we are surgeons—or because we are surgeons and know how serious surgical treatment is for patients—we look for ways to treat you without surgical intervention. Unless, of course, surgery is your best option, in which case we are ready to deploy the steadiest hands and sharpest minds. If you need surgery, we move forward with an empowering plan you understand.
• We care for the whole musculoskeletal system. While we are singularly focused on shoulder surgery, our approach to care is decidedly not. We know when a condition is right for us to treat and just as importantly, who to call when it isn't. Allina Health boasts the largest number of fellowship-trained shoulder surgeons in the state and the most well-developed team of specialized primary care sports medicine physicians, offering a wide gamut of nonsurgical care with extremely stringent regulations—often stricter than state or federal guidelines—to assure you that we are not providing gimmicks, but the most evidence-based, effective and well-rounded care possible.
• We coordinate system-wide care to meet your needs. Allina's integrated health system combines a broad range of medical and surgical specialties that support the care our shoulder surgeons deliver. Together, our multidisciplinary system delivers top-notch care. In practical terms, this means we get you in tip-top shape before your surgery, helping you manage issues such as diabetes, weight and smoking cessation.

• Anatomic shoulder replacement: With this procedure, the ball and socket are replaced with artificial parts, preserving their normal, “anatomic” relationship. A healthy rotator cuff is needed for this procedure to work well.
• Arthroscopy: In this minimally invasive surgery, our providers make small incisions and use a camera and specialized instruments to fix tears or repair damage.
• Impingement surgery: Impingement surgery creates more space above the rotator cuff tendons and/or repairs damaged tissue caused by your acromion bone rubbing against the tendon and bursa, relieving irritation and pain.
• Instability surgery: This type of surgery is performed using either arthroscopic or open technique and is used to repair a shoulder that has dislocated and/or has a tear in the labrum.
• Reverse shoulder replacement: With this procedure, the replacement parts are placed so that a healthy rotator cuff is not needed to move the shoulder. This may be an option if you have good deltoid strength, are experiencing severe shoulder arthritis, have non-repairable rotator cuff tears or have experienced a serious break in the bones of the humerus (arm bone).
• Torn rotator cuff repair: The muscles that help rotate your arm and stabilize your shoulder joint are called a rotator cuff. We offer several options for rotator cuff surgery, depending on the size, depth, and location. Our surgeons can tackle even the most complex rotator cuff tears using sophisticated reconstructive procedures, which can include the use of tendon transfer or grafts to replace or increase the strength and function of damaged portions of the rotator cuff. Our surgeons are often able to repair rotator cuff tears others have deemed irreparable.

• We listen first. We know whatever landed you here has been difficult, painful, or impacted your quality of life. We care about how you feel and what your goals are with treatment or surgery.
• We optimize your surgery outcomes. This might mean consulting with other specialists or subspecialists, primary care providers, smoking cessation or weight-management programs, depending on your case, needs and goals.
• We use an accelerated recovery model where possible. This means we try to get you moving and out of the hospital as quickly as possible, starting post-surgery rehabilitation right away so you can get back on your feet, swinging a bat, throwing a ball, casting a line or putting your own shirt on in the morning.
• We can connect you to all the care you need within our Allina Health system. Your entire process, from intake to rehabilitation graduation from Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, can be handled through the Allina Health system, with one medical chart.