Geisinger Performs First Ever Lifetime Guaranteed Shoulder Replacement

Geisinger, Medacta announce first shoulder replacement with lifetime guarantee. Program builds on the success of the health system’s ProvenCare^® surgeries 
on hips, knees and spines

Geisinger and the Medacta Group SA, a Swiss company specializing in innovative and sustainable solutions for joint replacement, sports medicine and spine surgeries, announced the first lifetime guarantee for a recent reverse shoulder replacement surgery. Geisinger and Medacta will stand behind the full cost of care throughout the patient’s lifetime.

Mark Pallis, D.O., Geisinger regional director of orthopaedic surgery, performed the first guaranteed reverse shoulder surgery at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre.

“This is the first reverse shoulder arthroplasty with a lifetime guarantee in the world,” Dr. Pallis said. “We used state-of-the art intra-operative navigation to more accurately place the implants, using sensors to guide pin placement, reaming depth and screw length and position. The postoperative results were nearly identical to the preoperative plan based on 3D modeling from a CT scan of the shoulder.”

A reverse shoulder replacement is a specific type of total shoulder replacement commonly performed in patients who have arthritis as well as a torn or non-functioning rotator cuff. It is called a “reverse” because the ball portion of the shoulder is placed where the socket was, and the socket implant is placed where the head of the humerus was.

Medacta and Geisinger previously partnered on groundbreaking guarantees for qualified patients for hip and knee replacement surgeries and spinal fusion surgery as part of Geisinger’s ProvenCare^® program, which covers inpatient and follow-up care for patients, including visits due to complications up to 90 days after the procedure.

“This new guarantee allows us to expand our ProvenCare^® commitment to include patients who qualify for total shoulder replacement, offering those patients a sense of security when making the decision to have the procedure,” said Michael Suk, M.D., J.D., chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “Standing behind our world-class joint replacement and spinal surgeries demonstrates Geisinger’s commitment to making better health easier for our patients and communities.” 

A global leader in orthopaedic medical devices, Medacta provides unique resources to train surgeons — including those at Geisinger — in surgical techniques and the use of their specially designed hip, knee, shoulder and spinal implants for minimally invasive surgeries. Medacta’s innovative technologies are designed to enable a healthy and active lifestyle for every patient, reducing postoperative pain and shortening rehabilitation time.

“The addition of the world’s first guarantee for reverse shoulder arthroplasty completes our robust offering of patient-focused guarantees for those undergoing hip, knee or spine procedures at Geisinger,” said Francesco Siccardi, CEO of Medacta International. “Through this initiative, we remain dedicated to improving outcomes for patients throughout their lifetimes.”