Jerry's Story
After fighting through the pain and struggling to lift his arms for over 20 years, Jerry Blackstone regained his freedom and ability to command the podium after undergoing bilateral anatomic shoulder replacement surgeries.
The Symptoms: Immense Pain and Limited Movement
As one of the nation’s leading choral conductors with two Grammy awards and countless accolades, Professor Jerry Blackstone’s entire 30-year career has been made by the expressive use of his arms.
"I love words, I love working with choral musicians and bringing the music to life,” he said.
That love — and exceptional talent — has taken Jerry all over the world conducting choirs. But after three decades at the University of Michigan, he retired in 2018 with debilitating shoulder pain.
“I had shoulder pain for at least 20 years,” Jerry said. “I traveled a lot and often guestconducted for seven to nine hours a day. It got to the point that I could not lift my left arm above shoulder level. I also had pain in the right shoulder, but it wasn’t as acute.”
The Solution: Bilateral Anatomic Shoulder Replacement Surgery
Despite the pain, Jerry leaned on physical therapy and rest to push through — all the while keeping the problem from everyone but his wife. He says he couldn’t risk taking time off to have surgery.
“People in my profession don’t talk about this; if you do, there goes your career,” he explained. “My poor wife had to deal with Mr. Grumpy Pants after long hours of conducting.”
*This real patient was compensated for the time they took to share their personal experience with the Arthrex Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery.
But then the COVID pandemic shut down choral performances along with the rest of the world, and Jerry received a timely referral to renowned shoulder surgeon Anthony Romeo, MD (Chicago, IL).
“Jerry came to me with advanced osteoarthritis, with large bone spurs that were limiting his range of motion and causing him pain,” Dr. Romeo said. “His rotator cuff was intact and pretty healthy. He had the downtime, so it was the perfect time to do the surgery.”
What Happens in an Anatomic Shoulder Replacement Surgery?
Dr. Romeo performed a total shoulder replacement on Jerry’s left side using the Eclipse™ total shoulder system, which involves a stemless implant that Dr. Romeo helped Arthrex develop and gain approval in the United States.
“With a stemless device we are able to place the implant in the most anatomic position and keep it there. If the humeral head is in the right spot, the shoulder moves much better,” Dr. Romeo explained. “With the stemless device there is far less blood loss and pain is significantly reduced in the early postoperative stage.” 1
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Benefits of Arthrex Anatomic Shoulder Replacement Surgery
Dr. Romeo was able to create and execute a surgical plan that placed the implant in the optimal position for Jerry’s anatomy.
“With precise reaming and placement, we put the implant in exactly the right place, and it’s the right size,” Dr. Romeo said. “With this approach and planning, we can provide the patient the best longevity with the shoulder replacement.
The Outcome: Major Improvement From Bilateral Anatomic Shoulder Replacement
For Jerry, the results were remarkable. “This surgery gave me my life back,” he said. “It’s been an incredible blessing.” Jerry’s outcome was so good, he decided to have his right shoulder replaced after the left one had healed. “I truly didn’t know how bad it felt until I no longer hurt so much,” he said. “The first time I lifted my left arm overhead I started weeping — I hadn’t been able to do that for over 20 years.”
Today, Jerry is back to guest conducting. He also accepted a position as a visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Sacred Music, training other conductors.
“Because of the surgery, the doors to my creativity have opened up again, and I am finding new ways to bring the music to life,” Jerry said. “I get emotional just thinking about it. I wish I had had the surgery earlier, but I am so glad I finally did it.”
Dr. Romeo says that is what makes this specialized shoulder replacement surgery so worthwhile and important. “Today’s modern technology and highly trained surgeons who know how to do this can help patients not only be free from pain but get them back to the things they love to do.”
Reference
1. Werner BC, Burrus MT, Denard PJ, et al. Stemless anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty is associated with less early postoperative pain. JSES Int. 2023;8(1):197-203. doi:10.1016/j.jseint.2023.10.012
This real patient was compensated for the time he took to share his experience. Physician is a paid consultant of Arthrex, Inc.
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Whether you need anatomic total shoulder replacement surgery, reverse total shoulder replacement surgery, or something more custom, don’t wait like Jerry - take the first step toward treating your shoulder pain today. Find a doctor near you to start your shoulder surgery journey.
