SHOULDER
Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopy is a procedure that orthopaedic surgeons use to inspect, diagnose, and treat problems inside a joint.

The word arthroscopy comes from two Greek words, “arthro” (joint) and “skopein” (to look).

The term literally means “to look within the joint.”

 

During shoulder Arthroscopy, your surgeon inserts a small camera, called an Arthroscope, into your shoulder joint. The camera displays pictures on a video monitor, and your surgeon uses these images to guide miniature surgical instruments.

Because the Arthroscope and surgical instruments are thin, your surgeon can use very small incisions (cuts), rather than the larger incisions needed for standard, Open Surgery.

This results in less pain for patients and shortens the time it takes to recover and return to favorite activities.

Shoulder arthroscopy has been performed since the 1970s. It has made diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from surgery easier and faster than was once thought possible.

Improvements to shoulder arthroscopy occur every year as new instruments and techniques are developed. Almost all arthroscopic procedures can be done as a day case at a day hospital.

Due to a ultrasound guided nerve block the patient can go to go home the same day as the surgery with no or minimal pain.

Procedures performed with Arthroscopy include:

Decompression Procedures

  • Acromioplasty
  • Acromio-clavicular (a/c joint) excision.

Other Procedures

  • Rotator cuff repairs
  • Selected muscle transfers
  • Instability repairs Bankart repair
  • Some Fractures e.g. Avulsion Fractures of the Rotator
  • Acromio-clavicular (A/C) joint reconstructions can also be done Arthroscopically

SHOULDER
Open surgery

Complicated reconstruction procedures to the shoulder area can be performed along careful selected safe anatomical planes and approaches through Open Surgery.

The following procedures are done through Open Surgery:

Shoulder Replacements

  • Hemi-Shoulder Replacements
  • Total ShoulderReplacements (TSR)
  • Reverse Shoulder Replacements (RTSA)

Other Proceedures

  • Majority of fractures around the Shoulder
  • Some instability repairs e.g. Laterjet or similar procedures