Rare shoulder joint surgery performed in Armenia

The patient, a 78-year-old female, underwent a unipolar endoprosthesis operation after suffering a closed multiple fracture. She applied to the clinic with severe pains in the left shoulder joint. 

The woman received the trauma after falling down. She was given the diagnosis after laboratory testing.

Specialists find the complete absence of blood supply in the hemural head to be the main complication resulting from such fractures, as the bone substance subsequently turns into a soft morbid tissue, losing its function as a support. That, in turn, limits the movement in the shoulder joint.

In the past, the hemural head was either extracted after such fractures or no operations was performed. In both cases, patients developed a lasting limb dysfunction accompanied by pains.

After a council conducted by Professor Armen Charchyan, the head of the Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery Chair at the University, the doctors agreed that the technical equipment and human resources allow them to perform the kind of operation to prevent further complications in the patient.

The one hour and 20 minute surgery was performed under general anesthesia on May 7.  No post-surgical complications were observed. The woman is still under in-patient care.

The second patient who underwent the rare surgery is a 32-year-old male, who suffered a dislocation of the left shoulder joint during an epileptic seizure. He first sought remedy in the traditional medicine. An unsuccessful attempt to treat the problem caused a fracture of the  humerus’ anatomical neck. The increasing pains forced him to apply to professional doctors. 

Considering the patient’s young age, the doctors at the clinic decided on a minimum intervention. They made an open correction of the dislocated shoulder joint and fixed the bone fragments externally with the help of the corresponding surgical instruments.

The surgery was performed by Artak Ohanyan, a doctor-traumatologist who simultaneously works as professor at the University’s Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery Chair, and two assistants, Armen Bdoyan, the clinic’s head, and Arsen Azizbekyan, a doctor-traumatologist.