If you’re considering shoulder replacement surgery, you might be wondering what actually goes into preparing for that procedure. Surgery itself is only one piece of the puzzle. The planning that happens beforehand can make a meaningful difference in how well your new shoulder joint fits, functions, and holds up over time. That’s where ProVoyance® Surgical Planning comes in. As a shoulder surgeon, I regularly use this advanced, CT-guided technology to help me prepare for each case with a level of detail that wasn’t possible with older planning methods. In this post, I’ll walk you through what ProVoyance® is, how it works, and why it may matter for your shoulder surgery outcome.
Key Takeaways
- ProVoyance® Surgical Planning is a software platform that converts CT scan images into detailed, patient-specific 3D reconstructions of the shoulder.
- The technology helps surgeons plan shoulder replacement procedures before entering the operating room, with the goal of supporting accuracy and outcomes.
- ProVoyance® can be used for both anatomic total shoulder replacement and reverse shoulder replacement planning.
- As a patient, you typically don’t need to do anything differently. The CT scan you already undergo as part of your pre-surgical workup provides the images the software uses.
What Is ProVoyance® Surgical Planning?
ProVoyance® Shoulder is a surgical planning software platform developed by Shoulder Innovations. At its core, ProVoyance® Surgical Planning uses machine learning (ML) technology to take CT scan images of your shoulder and convert them into precise, three-dimensional reconstructions of your shoulder anatomy.
Think of it this way. A standard X-ray gives a surgeon a flat, two-dimensional picture of your shoulder. A CT scan, on the other hand, captures hundreds of cross-sectional images of the bones from different angles. ProVoyance® takes all of that data and transforms it into a detailed, interactive 3D model. I can rotate, measure, and use it to plan every aspect of your surgery before we ever step into the operating room together.
How CT-Guided Planning Works
The foundation of ProVoyance® Surgical Planning is the CT scan. If you’re preparing for shoulder replacement surgery, a CT scan of your shoulder is commonly part of the standard workup. This imaging study allows us to look at the bones in much greater detail than a regular X-ray. We can see the exact shape of the glenoid (the socket portion of the shoulder joint), the degree of bone loss or erosion, the angle at which the joint surfaces are oriented, and the structure of the humerus (your upper arm bone).
Once those images are uploaded into the ProVoyance® platform, the software’s AI-based technology gets to work. It analyzes the CT data and builds a three-dimensional model of your unique shoulder anatomy. That model becomes my virtual workspace, the place where I can test different implant sizes, positions, and angles before your surgery date ever arrives.
One of the things that makes this technology stand out is the level of customization it offers. I can virtually trial different implant configurations to find the one that best suits your anatomy. Rather than making adjustments on the fly in the operating room, I can work through those decisions in advance, with the details of your specific case in front of me. That pre-operative preparation may help support accurate implant placement when it counts.
AI and 3D Reconstruction: More Than Just Looking at Images
There’s a common misconception that surgical planning technology is mostly about taking a good look at your images before the procedure. In reality, what ProVoyance® Surgical Planning does goes quite a bit further than that.
The machine learning capabilities at the heart of this platform allow it to do something that used to require significant manual effort: automatically identify and map the different anatomical structures of the shoulder from CT data. In simpler terms, the software can recognize the bones, trace their contours, and build a 3D reconstruction, adding both speed and consistency to the planning process.
From there, I can use the 3D model to measure key aspects of your anatomy. The degree of glenoid retroversion, meaning how far the socket is tilted back from its ideal position, is one of the most important factors in shoulder replacement planning. If that angle isn’t accounted for carefully, it can affect how well the implant sits and may contribute to complications down the road. ProVoyance® helps me visualize and address those details proactively, before we ever get into the operating room.
Planning for Both Types of Shoulder Replacement
One of the strengths of ProVoyance® Surgical Planning is its versatility. Whether a patient may be a candidate for anatomic total shoulder replacement or reverse total shoulder replacement, the platform can support planning for both, which matters because these are meaningfully different procedures with different technical demands.
In anatomic total shoulder replacement, the goal is to restore the shoulder’s natural anatomy. The damaged ball (the humeral head) and socket (the glenoid) are replaced with prosthetic components that mimic the shoulder’s original configuration. ProVoyance® helps me plan where to position the glenoid component, how to size the humeral implant, and how to best recreate the natural alignment of the joint.
Reverse shoulder replacement takes a different approach. In this procedure, the ball-and-socket configuration is flipped. A metal ball is fixed to the shoulder blade (scapula), and a socket component is placed on the upper arm bone (humerus). This design is often recommended when the rotator cuff is severely damaged or no longer repairable, as it allows the deltoid muscle to take over much of the work of moving the arm. With ProVoyance®, I can plan both the glenoid and humeral components of a reverse replacement in detail ahead of time.
The platform also includes dedicated humeral planning capabilities, which means I can virtually trial different humeral implant options, including stemless designs, and assess how they’ll interact with a patient’s specific bone structure before surgery begins. Having that complete picture, from socket to ball, may help support more consistent and accurate reconstruction of your shoulder’s anatomy.
What This May Mean for You as a Patient
When patients ask me why surgical planning technology matters to them personally, I think the most honest answer is this: thorough pre-operative planning may help procedures proceed more efficiently on the day of surgery. ProVoyance® Surgical Planning allows me to anticipate challenges, prepare for anatomical variables, and make key decisions in advance, rather than encountering them for the first time once we’re already in the room.
Here are a few ways this technology may benefit you as a patient:
- More personalized planning. Every shoulder is different. Your bone anatomy, the degree of joint damage, and your overall health all influence how a replacement should be approached. ProVoyance® uses your own CT images to build a plan that is specific to your anatomy, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Improved implant positioning. Accurate placement of the shoulder implant is associated with how well the joint functions over time. Pre-surgical planning software may help support alignment during the procedure itself.
- Better team preparation. The operating team can enter the room with a shared understanding of the procedure, which may help things run more smoothly from start to finish.
- A clearer conversation with your surgeon. Having a 3D model of your shoulder makes it easier for me to explain exactly what I’m planning and why. That transparency may help you ask more informed questions and feel more confident going in.
What to Expect as a Patient
If you’re planning to undergo shoulder replacement surgery at my practice, ProVoyance® Surgical Planning may be part of how I prepare for your case. From your perspective, the process is relatively straightforward. You won’t need to undergo any additional imaging beyond what’s typically required for shoulder replacement surgery. A CT scan is already part of the standard pre-operative workup, and those images are what the ProVoyance® platform uses to build the 3D model of your anatomy.
Once your CT scan is complete, the images are uploaded into the platform. From there, I work through the planning process. That planning happens in advance of your surgery date, giving me time to think through the case carefully.
On the day of surgery, the plan we developed using ProVoyance® Surgical Planning serves as a guide. No surgical plan is perfectly rigid, as conditions in the operating room can always present something unexpected, but having a thorough, detailed blueprint going in may help me navigate those moments more effectively.
One thing I want to be clear about: technology like ProVoyance® is a tool that supports surgical decision-making. It’s not a replacement for surgical skill and clinical judgment. The CT data and 3D models inform my planning, but the decisions I make for each patient still depend on experience, a thorough evaluation, and an individualized understanding of your specific condition and goals.
Summary
Shoulder replacement surgery has come a long way, and so has the technology that supports it. ProVoyance® surgical planning represents a meaningful step forward in how surgeons like me can prepare for these procedures. By using CT imaging and advanced technology to create detailed, patient-specific 3D models of the shoulder, this platform helps support more accurate implant placement and more thorough pre-operative preparation. While outcomes always depend on a combination of factors, including patient health, surgical technique, and commitment to rehabilitation, having a precise, individualized plan going into the operating room may improve the experience for both the patient and the surgical team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ProVoyance® Surgical Planning used for?
ProVoyance® Surgical Planning is a pre-operative software platform used to plan shoulder replacement surgery. It uses CT scan data to create three-dimensional reconstructions of the shoulder, allowing surgeons to evaluate anatomy, select implants, and map out the procedure before the day of surgery. It can support planning for both anatomic total shoulder replacement and reverse total shoulder replacement.
Do I need a special scan or extra imaging for ProVoyance® to be used?
In most cases, no. A CT scan of your shoulder is typically already part of the standard pre-operative workup for shoulder replacement surgery. The images from that scan are what the ProVoyance® platform uses to build the 3D model of your anatomy. You generally won’t need to schedule any additional imaging appointments just for this purpose.
How long does the planning process take?
The planning process happens in advance of your surgery date and is completed by your surgeon. As a patient, you won’t experience this step directly. The time it takes can vary depending on the complexity of the case, but completing that planning ahead of time means your entire surgical team is prepared and aligned before you arrive for your procedure.
Will ProVoyance® be used for my shoulder surgery?
That depends on your specific case and the treatment approach recommended for you. If you are a candidate for shoulder replacement surgery at my practice, ProVoyance® Surgical Planning may be part of how I prepare. During your consultation, I’m happy to walk you through the tools and techniques I use and answer any questions you have about your individualized treatment plan.
