Shoulder – Treatment Options – Shoulder Arthroscopy Surgery – Patient education information from Stryker

Shoulder arthroscopy (minimally invasive treatment)

If non-surgical treatment like physical therapy or medications don’t provide enough relief and helping you move your shoulder comfortably again, your doctor may recommend a shoulder arthroscopy. In this minimally invasive procedure, also known as keyhole surgery, your doctor will make small incisions or cuts around your shoulder to access the joint and treat the injury.

What happens during surgery?

During a shoulder arthroscopy procedure, your doctor inserts a tiny camera called an arthroscope through one of the cuts made around your shoulder. The arthroscope allows your surgeon to see and examine the tissues inside and around your shoulder joint in real time through a video monitor. Your surgeon will use the camera to guide surgical instruments through the other incisions around your shoulder to assess and repair or treat the damaged part of your joint. A shoulder arthroscopy procedure may help relieve pain and improve shoulder movement.

The duration of surgery may vary depending on the condition of your joint and treatment approach.

What shoulder problems are addressed with shoulder arthroscopy?

Shoulder arthroscopy is used to diagnose and treat various conditions including partial thickness rotator cuff tears (RCTs), full thickness RCTs and massive reparable and irreparable RCTs.

Partial and full thickness RCTs Treatment may include one or combination of:

Debridement – Trimming or smoothening of the joint
Biceps tenotomy – release of biceps tendon from the shoulder
Rotator cuff tendon repair – re-attaching or stitching the tendon back to the head of the upper arm bone

Massive irreparable RCTs (MIRCTs) Treatment may include one or combination of:

Debridement – Trimming or smoothening of the joint
Biceps tenotomy – release of biceps tendon from the shoulder
Partial rotator cuff tendon repair or a subacromial balloon spacer

Talk to your doctor about the best treatment suited for your shoulder condition.

Learn more about your treatment options

References:

J Bone Joint Surg Am. Advance online publication. doi. 10.2106/JBJS.21.00667.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Treatment: Shoulder joint replacement. OrthoInfo. orthoinfo.org/en/treatment/shoulder-joint-replacement.
Joseph Iannotti, MD, PhD, Justin Baker, PhD, Eric Rodriguez, BS, John Brems, MD, Eric Ricchetti, MD, Mena Mesiha, MD, and Json Bryon, MS. Three-dimensional pre-operative planning and a novel information transfer technology improve glenoid component positioning.
Hoenecke HR jr1, Hermida JC, Flores-Hernandez C, D’Lima DD. Accuracy of CT based measurements of glenoid version for total shoulder arthroplasty.
Gilles Walch, MD, Peter S. Vereridis, MD, Pascal Boileau, MD, Pierric Derasart, M. Eng, Jean Chaoui, PhD. Three-dimensional planning and use of patient-specific guides improve glenoid component position: an in vitro study.
Hendel, et al. Comparison of Patient-Specific Instrumentation with Standard Surgical Instruments in Determining Glenoid Component Position. JBJS 2014; 96:e71(1-8)
Iannotti J, Jun, B.J, Patterson, Ricchetti E. Quantitative measurement of osseous pathology in advanced glenohumeral osteoarthritis. J Bone Elnow Surg. 2017;99:1460-8.
Boileau P, Cheval D, Gauci, MD, Holzer N, Chaoui J, Walch G. Automated three-dimensional of glenoid version and inclination in arthritic shoulders. J Bone Joint Surg. 2018 Jan 3; 100(1) 57-65.
Werner B, Hudek R, Burkhart K, Gohlke F. The influence of three-dimensional planning on decision-making in total shoulder arthroplasty. J Shoulder Elbow Arthroplasty. 2017 Feb 7; 28(8): 1477-1483.

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