Shoulder Arthroscopy

A shoulder injury can be restored with a minimally invasive surgery using a shoulder arthroscopy. This medical equipment now enables surgeons to perform surgical procedures on inflamed and torn tendons and muscles around the shoulder joint. To add on, it can also be used to treat a frozen shoulder, shoulder instability and shoulder dislocation.

A shoulder arthroscopy uses a tiny camera to look inside your shoulder joint, so as to aid diagnosis or treatment of any joint disorder.  In other words, the equipment used includes a camera and magnifying lens, which relays the image to the TV monitor. This enables the orthopedic surgeon to clearly refer to the images while performing the surgery. Since the device ranges from 2-5 diameters, the surgery can be performed with only a small incision.

1. Rotator Cuff Tendinitis / Tear: Inflamed or torn tendons and muscles in the shoulder joint 
2. Impingement Syndrome: The condition when the rotator cuff tendons rub against the roof of the shoulder girdle bone
3. Frozen shoulder
4. Shoulder instability or recurrent dislocation
5. Calcific Tendinitis: The condition where calcium deposits form on tendons of shoulder

This is the inflammation of a group of tendons and muscles in the rotator cuffs, which result from overuse of the shoulder joint. Sports such as tennis, swimming or badminton can cause tendons to deteriorate. Another main cause of injury to the rotator cuff tendinitis is the narrowing passage under the acromion. Sometimes, the tendons could also suddenly tear due to light accidents such as a shoulder twist. A humerus (upper arm bone) fracture could also result from a fall that impacts the arm.

Signs and symptoms: Weakness in the shoulder joint and difficulty in lifting the shoulders. Pain in the shoulder joint area, especially while resting and during the night, is also a sign.

Shoulder impingement syndrome affects the muscles and tendons during repetitive movement. It can cause inflammation of the tendons, swelling of the muscles and difficulty in carrying weight. As a result, the tendons could become enlarged and inflexible. Moreover, in some cases, there is an increase in calcium deposits, reducing shoulder function. This could result in increased pain in the shoulder joint, and  inflamed tendons that do not heal back to normal. Some of the sports that cause shoulder impingement syndrome include swimming, tennis, badminton and baseball. Other sports that involve a throwing or pitching motion could also be the cause.

Signs and symptoms: The symptoms include weakness of shoulder muscles, difficulty in reaching up behind the back, and pain with overhead use of the arm.

This is a condition where the shoulder becomes stiff or “frozen” due to scar-like tissue forming in the shoulder capsule. It begins with chronic inflammation along with limitation in the movement of the shoulder. Then scar tissue or adhesions develop around the shoulder joint and muscles become inflexible and contract. Eventually you have what’s called frozen shoulders.

Signs and Symptoms: Pain in the shoulder and limitation in shoulder movement when extending the arm or raising it above the head. Additionally, patients are unable to move their hands backwards, thereby affecting their daily routines and activities such as combing hair, fastening bra hooks or reaching for things high up on the shelves.

1. Accuracy in diagnosis
2. Less than 1% chance of complications like infection, swelling of blood clot in the joint
3. Duration of hospital stay is just 1-2 days and recovery period at home is short.
4. Physiotherapy can be done soon after the surgery, resulting in quick recovery. One can return to their regular routine much faster than conventional surgery.