What is an arthroscopy of the shoulder?
An arthroscopy (also called ‘keyhole’ surgery) allows your surgeon to see inside your shoulder using a camera inserted through small cuts in the skin. They should be able to treat some problems using special surgical instruments. What are the benefits of surgery? The main benefit of surgery is to confirm exactly what the problem is and in many cases to treat the problem at the same time. Are there any alternatives to surgery? Problems inside a joint can often be diagnosed using special tests such as CT and MRI scans. However, you may then need an arthroscopy to treat the problem. What does the operation involve? The operation is usually performed under a general anaesthetic. The operation usually takes about forty minutes. Your surgeon will usually make about two to four small cuts around the joint. They will place a small telescope through one of the cuts so they can examine the joint. They will place surgical instruments through the other cuts if they need to treat any problems with
