If your injury doesn’t improve with non-surgical care, your orthopedist may want you to consider surgery. Rotator cuff surgery is often successful in treating impingement problems, calcium deposits or a complete tear that won’t otherwise heal. Depending on the extent of your injury, you may or may not need to stay overnight at the hospital. Thanks to advanced techniques in rotator cuff surgery, you can probably look forward to good results.

Before surgery

After you check in at the hospital you mat be given routine blood tests and your arm may be placed in a sling, wrap or splint. Your anaesthesiologist or nurse anaesthetist will probably meet with you to talk about the type of aesthetic you’ll be given during or after surgery.

Remember:

  • Ask your doctor how long you may need to be away from home so you can plan accordingly
  • Don’t eat or drink after midnight the night before surgery. Your stomach needs to be empty when you’re given the aesthetic
  • Don’t take asprin or other inflammatories the week before surgery unless your doctor has recommended otherwise
  • Arrange for a ride home from the hospital after your surgery
  • Bring any x-rays or to her medical records or forms as advised by your doctor
  • Keep a positive attitude. You’re on your way to feeling better.

Risks and implications

As with any surgery complications may arise. These include infection, injury to nerves or blood vessels and stiffness or continuing pain in your shoulder. Your orthopedist will discuss any other risks associated with your particular surgery.

Arthroscopic surgery

Your orthopedist can get a detailed look at your rotator cuff by using anarthroscope, a pencil-shaped lighting and lens system. Corrective procedures, such as making more space for tendon movement or repairing minor tears are performed with specially designed instruments inserted through tiny incisions similar than a buttonhole.

 

The acromion is shaved to create space between it and the rotator cuff, which helps prevent irritation during shoulder movement.

 

 

 

 

Damaged tissue and small flaps are removed from around the injured tendon and small tears are repaired.

 

 

 

 

h3>Open surgery

To repair complete tears in your rotator cuff, open surgery is usually necessary. The incision is larger than in arthroscopic surgery and healing and rehabilitation may take longer.

Space is increased between the acromion and the damaged tendon of the rotator cuff.

 

 

 

 

 

The damaged tendon is trimmed and a small area is cut in the humerus.

 

 

 

 

 

The tendon is secured to the humerus with sutures or tacks.