The past decade has shown significant advances in the surgical treatment of shoulder injuries. Improvements in instrumentation, prosthesis and equipment has led to arthroscopy taking the lead in the surgical treatment of shoulder pathology.

Rotator cuff tears are a common occurrence in the general population and treatment options have now led to better patient outcomes in the surgical treatment group. Operations which were previously approached through open incisions can now be done arthroscopically, leading to day-surgery admissions, with excellent long term results.

Similarly, patients with recurrent shoulder dislocations enjoy the same advancements with arthroscopic labral repairs. New techniques have now been developed leading to bone transfers (latarjet procedures) to be done using arthroscopy rather than open techniques, although we are still in the infancy stages.

The benefits of arthroscopic rotator cuff and labral repairs/reconstructions include improved patient comfort, less early post-surgical pain, lower infection rates and high patient outcome scores.

Another benefit is the ability to treat more than one pathology through the arthroscope. Visualisation is improved and all regions of the shoulder can be entered through small portals rather than multiple large incisions. Less stiffness is seen after arthroscopy and the ability to perform capsular releases is important in the treatment of the stiff shoulder with cuff tears. Studies have also shown a preference with arthroscopy even in revision cases.

Other common Shoulder injuries which can be treated arthroscopically include AC joint pathology, SLAP tears, bicep tendon pathology and impingement syndrome.

AUTHOR | Mr Eden Raleigh
Mr Raleigh is an Australian trained orthopaedic surgeon with
extensive overseas surgical experience. His main interests are complex shoulder and knee surgery.
PH | 03 9421 1900 WEB | www.cityorthopaedics.com.au