Injury, overuse, and age-related wear and tear are responsible for most shoulder problems. Shoulder arthroscopy may relieve painful symptoms of many problems that damage the rotator cuff tendons, labrum, articular cartilage, and other soft tissues surrounding the joint.

Common arthroscopic procedures include :

Rotator cuff repair

Removal or repair o f the labrum

Repair of ligaments

Removal of inflamed tissue or loose cartilage

Repair for recurrent shoulder dislocation

Less common procedures such as nerve release, fracture repair, and cyst excision can also be performed using an arthroscope. Some surgical procedures, such as shoulder replacement, still require open surgery with more extensive incisions

Planning for Surgery

Your orthopaedic surgeon may ask you to see your primary doctor to make sure that you do not have any medical problems that need to be addressed before your surgery. Blood tests, an electrocardiogram, or chest x-ray may be needed to safely perform your surgery.

If you have certain health risks, a more extensive evaluation may be necessary before your surgery. Be sure to inform your orthopaedic surgeon of any medications or supplements that you take. You may need to stop taking some of these prior to surgery.

If you are generally healthy, your arthroscopy will most likely be performed as an outpatient. This means you will not need to stay overnight at the hospital.

The hospital or surgery center will contact you ahead of time to provide specific details about your procedure.

Make sure to follow the instructions on when to arrive and especially on when to stop eating or drinking prior to your surgery.

Before the operation, a member of the anesthesia staff will talk with you about anesthesia options. Shoulder arthroscopy may be performed using regional nerve blocks which numb your shoulder and arm. This numbing medicine is injected in the base of your neck or high on your shoulder. This is where the nerves that control feeling in your shoulder and arm are located. In addition to its use as an anesthetic during surgery, a nerve block will help control pain for a few hours after the surgery is completed. Many surgeons combine nerve blocks with a light general anesthetic because patients can become uncomfortable staying in one position for the length of time needed to complete the surgery.

Most arthroscopic procedures take less than an hour, however, the length of your surgery will depend on what your surgeon finds and what repairs are required.

Surgical Procedure : Positioning and Preparation

Once in the operating room, you will be positioned so that your surgeon can easily adjust the arthroscope to have a clear view of the inside of your shoulder. The two most common patient positions for arthroscopic shoulder surgery are:

Beach chair position. This is a semi-seated position similar to sitting in a reclining chair.

Lateral decubitus position. In this position the patient lies on his or her side on an operating table.

Each position has some slight advantages. Surgeons select positions based on the procedure being performed, as well as their individual training.

Once you are positioned, the surgical team will remove hair, if needed, and then spread an antiseptic solution over your shoulder to clean the skin. They will cover your shoulder and arm with sterile drapes, and will most likely place your forearm in a holding device to ensure your arm stays still.