What is an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair?
The arthroscope is a fiber optic camera inserted into the shoulder through a small stab wound. This serves as our eyes within the joint. With the advent of a multitude of arthroscopic instruments, we can now repair your rotator cuff, labral tear, or ligament tear using this approach. This eliminates the need for an open incision or an open approach in the majority of cases. The advantages are numerous. We can actually see the tear better with an arthroscopic approach. We can treat any other pathology present at the same time. Most surgeons are learning how to perform these repairs, so be sure you find someone who has done quite a number of these. Please view the sports medicine videos to see how the various procedures are performed.
The arthroscope is a fiber optic camera inserted into the shoulder through a small stab wound. This serves as our eyes within the joint. With the advent of a multitude of arthroscopic instruments, we can now repair your rotator cuff, labral tear, or ligament tear using this approach. This eliminates the need for an open incision or an open approach in the majority of cases. The advantages are numerous. We can actually see the tear better with an arthroscopic approach. We can also treat any other pathology present at the same time. While arthroscopic approaches offer numerous advantages, they do not speed up the healing time… so you will still need to be in a sling for a number of weeks after surgery. Most surgeons are learning how to perform these repairs, so be sure you find someone who has done quite a number of these. Please view the sports medicine videos to see how the various procedures are performed.
