Orthopaedic Specialists of Conneticut

Arthoscopy

Shoulder Arthroscopy

Shoulder arthroscopy is a minimally invasive technique which allows orthopaedic surgeons to diagnose and, in many cases, treat a wide range conditions affecting the shoulder joint.

Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is an out-patient procedure during which the orthopedic surgeon makes small incisions (portals) in the joint and inserts a camera with a fiber optic light to visualize the structures inside the shoulder. The doctor views the procedure on a high-definition television screen. There is no need for a general anesthetic, as the patient’s shoulder is anesthetized from a regional interscalene block.

Currently, arthroscopy is used to address a number of shoulder conditions. Techniques and instrumentation have evolved to the point that shoulder surgeons can perform various types of tissue repair and reconstruction through an “all arthroscopic” approach.

Results for arthroscopic procedures now equal or exceed those of open procedures, with much less pain and better preservation of surrounding musculature and soft tissue. The most common arthroscopic procedures include subacromial decompression (removal of bone spur) for impingement, rotator cuff repair, anterior labral repair, superior labral repair (SLAP lesion), removal of calcium deposits (calcific tendonitis) and removal of the end of the clavicle (AC joint resection).

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