Shoulder Arthroscopy – What Should You Know?

The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in your body and is capable of more motion than any other joint. The shoulder joint comprises three bones: the shoulder blade, the upper arm bone, and the collarbone. Injury/ disease/ age-related wear and tear to the bones or tissues of the shoulder can cause pain, inflammation, reduced mobility, and instability.

Shoulder arthroscopy is conducted using a small instrument known as the arthroscope. The surgeon makes a small incision in the shoulder joint to insert the arthroscope into the surgical site. This instrument has a light system and camera that is used to project images of the inside of the joint onto a screen for a clear view. The arthroscope also has small surgical instruments within it that the surgeon can use to conduct certain medical procedures.

When is a shoulder arthroscopy recommended?

Your doctor or orthopaedic surgeon may recommend you a procedure called shoulder arthroscopy if you are suffering from shoulder pain that is not responding to traditional non-surgical treatments. Nonsurgical treatments include pain medication, physical therapy, rest, and injections.

Shoulder arthroscopy is used to treat injuries and diseases related to muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bones of the shoulder joint.

These conditions include:

• Shoulder instability
• Damaged ligaments or cartilage
• Inflamed tissue or loose cartilage
• Tear in the rotator cuff
• Rupture in the biceps
• Arthritis of the collarbone
• Bony projections or bone spurs
• Stiffness in the shoulder joint

Procedures for repairing fractures, releasing nerves, and excising cysts can be performed on rare occasions with arthroscopy as well.

What are the risks associated with a shoulder arthroscopy?

Though shoulder arthroscopy is considered a low-risk alternative to more invasive procedures, there still are risks associated with the surgery.

The risks of shoulder arthroscopy are:

• Weakness in the shoulder
• Shoulder stiffness
• Delayed or failure of the repair to heal
• Nerve injury
• Injury to blood vessels
• Damage to shoulder cartilage

What are the advantages of this procedure?

The major benefit of shoulder arthroscopy over open surgery is the lowered risk of infection and a shorter time for recovery.

Shoulder arthroscopy offers benefits over open surgery such as:

• Fewer complications
• Less joint stiffness and pain
• Faster recovery
• Fewer stitches

How do you prepare for the procedure?

• You will have to inform the doctor of all the medication and supplements you may be taking before the procedure to avoid any adverse interactions. This holds true especially for common OTC medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

What happens during a shoulder arthroscopy?

• First, your surgeon will put you under general or reginal anaesthesia before performing the procedure. While regional anaesthesia will numb the arm or upper limb, general anaesthesia will put you to sleep.
• During the procedure, your doctor will decide to position you on your side (known as the Lateral Decubitus Position) or have you reclining in a semi-seated position (known as the Beach Chair Position).
• Sterile fluid will be injected into the shoulder joint to expand it to offer the surgeon a clearer view.
• Small incisions will be made to insert the arthroscopic camera. Your surgeon will be able to see clear images of the shoulder joint on his screen and diagnose the injured area.
• Surgical instruments will be introduced into the incision and the surgeon will repair or remove the damage to the joint.
• After the repairs are made, the sterile liquid will be drained from the shoulder joint and the incision(s) will be closed with stitches or sterile bandages.

Recovering from an arthroscopy

Your recovery will involve spending time at the hospital to rule out serious complications followed by recuperation at home.

Postoperative care

After the surgery, you will be under observation for a few hours before being discharged home. Medical personnel will monitor your responsiveness and provide medication to manage pain, if required.

Recuperating at home:

Though shoulder arthroscopy is less invasive than open surgery, it may still take you weeks to a few months for your shoulder joint to completely recover from the procedure and repairs.

• Expect pain and discomfort for several weeks after the procedure. A longer and extensive surgery will entail a longer recovery period as well. Rest and ice may help relieve some pain and swelling.
• You may be prescribed pain medication by your doctor to help control the pain. These medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and local anaesthetics, will help you be more comfortable and help your body recover from the surgery.
• Your shoulder will, in most likeliness, be immobilised with a sling or a special immobiliser to protect your shoulder and provide stability.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation plays an important role in getting a patient back to daily activities with normal motion and strength. Your orthopaedic surgeon will develop a rehabilitation plan for you based on the procedures you have to undergo. This may involve seeing a physical therapist for a specialised exercise regimen to recover from complicated surgical repair. A strong effort with the rehabilitative plan will improve your success for your surgery.

A shoulder arthroscopic procedure involves fewer complications, a faster recovery, and less pain and stiffness than open surgery. Though the procedure involves some risk, as all surgical procedures do, an arthroscopy is a procedure that lowers risk due to its less invasive nature. The recovery time of an arthroscopic procedure depends on the nature of the surgery conducted and may still be a few weeks long. Though recovery may seem like a slow process, following your surgeon’s prescribed steps and rehabilitation plan is vital for the successful outcome of your surgery. Learn more about shoulder arthroscopy from the orthopaedic surgeons in Sagar Hospitals, the best orthopaedic hospital in Bangalore.