Only a specialist shoulder surgeon can carry out arthroscopy. This is the most common process to diagnose, inspect, and then repair the shoulder joint problems. The surgical process involves insertion of a micro camera into the shoulder joint area. This camera is popularly known as Arthoscope. With the help of this camera, images inside the shoulder joint structure are projected on the monitor. This helps in the surgery process to repair the damages that have occurred inside the joint part.
What type of shoulder conditions can be best treated with arthroscopy?
There can be conditions that may not respond positively even after prolonged sessions of non-surgical treatments. This is when arthroscopic surgeries are recommended. Inflammation is the most common cause for shoulder discomfort. It can result in swelling, stiffness, and pain. There can also be some kind of wear and tear due to growing of age. Some of the most common problems that can be addressed using this surgical treatment include:
- Rotator cuff repair
- Repair of ligaments
- Bone spur removal
- Removal or repair of labrum
- Repair for recurrent shoulder dislocation
- Removal of loose cartilage and inflamed tissue
The arthroscopy surgery process
The operation is conducted in a day-surgery room. The patient is being perfectly positioned to get the arthroscope adjusted in order to get the best look inside the shoulder joint. Beach Chair and Lateral Decubitus are the most common positions. Either the patient is semi seated in some sort of reclining position or lying on the side. The surgeon will remove hair from the marked area and then spread antiseptic solution to clean the skin.
Then, the shoulder will be perfectly covered with highly sterile pads. The arm will be attached to a holding device to make it remain still and in place. In order to clean out and inflate the shoulder joint area, antiseptic fluid will be injected into the area. This helps in clearly observing the structures.
Then minute incisions are made to insert the arthroscope. The surgeon then focuses more into the monitor to detect the root cause of problem. Once the problems are identified, the orthopedic doctor woodbridge will use several miniature instruments to carry out the repairing work. These instruments are used for grasping, suturing, tying, and cutting. Once the repairing work gets over, incisions are closed using steri-strips or through stiches. The site is perfectly covered with sterile bandage. This arthroscopy surgery is best done by an experienced surgeon so search for the best orthopedic doctor of your area.