What is Shoulder Arthroscopy?

Shoulder Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a procedure that Orthopaedic Surgeons use to inspect, diagnose, and repair 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 television screen, 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 large incision 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 impossible. Improvements in Shoulder Arthroscopy occur every year as new instruments and techniques are developed. Shoulder Arthroscopy is used to perform a wide range of procedures to treat various pathologies in the Shoulder eg. Repair of Labral Tear (Bankart Repair), Repair of the Slap Lesion, Repair of the Biceps, Repair of the Subscapularis, Repair of the Rotator Cuff etc.

Shoulder Arthroscopy

Do you require Shoulder Arthroscopy?

Your Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgeon, Dr. Amyn Rajani may recommend Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery if you have a painful condition that does not respond to non-surgical treatments. Those non-surgical treatments include physical therapy, injections and medications etc. that will help in healing the inflamed the tissue and give you relief from pain, swelling and stiffness.

Injury, age-related issues and damaged tissues both inside and around the shoulder joint are the main reasons why arthroscopic shoulder surgery is performed on people.

Indications for Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

  • Bankart Tear
  • SLAP Tear
  • Rotator Cuff Tear
  • Biceps Tear
  • Impingement Syndrome
  • Frozen Shoulder

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

A keyhole surgery in which the torn rotator cuff is repaired with the help of suture anchors which are placed in the bone. This surgery helps to decrease pain and regain movement.

Frozen Shoulder Surgery

The most common shoulder orthopaedic surgery, A frozen shoulder, also known as Adhesive Capsulitis can be a very daunting experience and it may well be one of the main causes of your persistent chronic shoulder pain.

Bankart Lesion Repair

An Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery that involves re-anchoring and suturing the torn piece of cartilage to restore security and stability in your shoulder.

SLAP Tear Surgery

A SLAP tear can occur from trauma or overuse of your shoulder joint and that's when arthroscopic shoulder surgery is performed.