Shoulder arthroscopy
Shoulder arthroscopy has significantly advanced both the treatment of various pathologies and the understanding of different conditions.
What is shoulder arthroscopy?
Shoulder arthroscopy is a surgical technique that uses a small camera with a viewing angle of a few millimetres and specialised instruments to perform procedures on the shoulder joint through tiny incisions. This method allows for the repair of injured tendons by suturing them with anchors and threads.
What injuries are treated with shoulder arthroscopy?
Shoulder arthroscopy can be used to treat various conditions, including glenohumeral instability, rotator cuff pathology, synovial pathology, and acromioclavicular dislocations.
Glenohumeral instability is a shoulder pathology that ranges from recurrent dislocations to micro-instability. This condition is most common in young patients who are involved in sports or have experienced trauma. Currently, treatment is performed using shoulder arthroscopy, where thread anchors are used to reconstruct stabilising elements and reduce capsular volume, preventing the humeral head from dislocating.
The rotator cuff is an anatomical structure composed of the tendons of the subscapularis, supraspinatus, teres minor, and infraspinatus muscles, whose primary function is to provide mobility and strength to the shoulder.Tendinopathy, as well as the rupture of one or more tendons, can occur and is most common in middle-aged patients.
Synovial pathology involves the inflammation or irritation of the synovial bursa. Arthroscopy can be used to take samples for diagnosing rheumatic conditions and to perform a synovectomy, which involves removing the synovium using motorised instruments or radiofrequency.
Acromioclavicular dislocation occurs when the acromioclavicular and coracoclavicular ligaments are injured due to direct trauma to the lateral aspect of the shoulder with the arm adducted.
What are the advantages of shoulder arthroscopy?
The aim of the treatment is to restore full mobility and strength to the shoulder joint without limitations. Through arthroscopy, we achieve joint reduction and fixation using implants or allografts.
What is recovery like after shoulder arthroscopy?
For surgeries without cuff injuries, the recovery period typically ranges from one to two weeks, but it can extend to two to three months. For contact athletes who have undergone shoulder arthroscopy, recovery may take 4 to 6 months.
The Knee Unit at Instituto Cugat conducts more than 300 knee arthroscopies a year.
