Shoulder Fracture
Shoulder fracture happens when you fall or hit the shoulder. Since bone can be partially or completely broken, teatment depends on the severity of the injury. Usually patient has to wear a cast. If bones are badly misplaced surgery may be required in order to put it back into position.
About Shoulder Arthroscopy
What is it and why is it performed?
Shoulder arthroscopy (translated from Greek, arthros – a joint and skopein – to look) literally means “looking within a joint“. It is a so-called minimally invasive surgery enabling doctors to see the joint from the inside. It is called minimally invasive because no big incisions or opening of the joint are necessary with this technique. This reduces the risk of infections and bleeding. Shoulder arthroscopy is performed with the help of an arthroscope – a narrow tube that has a camera and a light at the end. This procedure is very beneficial in diagnosing and managing various joint disorders including damaged cartilage, torn ligaments and tendons, arthritis, shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tear.
How is it performed?
Even though minimally invasive, arthroscopy is still a surgical procedure and therefore anaesthesia will be required. It is possible that general anaesthesia will be administered. This means that you will be fully asleep and feel nothing during the whole procedure. Alternatively, you may receive regional anaesthesia. In this case, your arm and shoulder will be numbed to prevent pain and anti-anxiety medications will be given to calm your nerves. In the next step, a surgeon will make several tiny incisions (1-2 cm in length). Then, the joint space will be filled with a sterile saline solution in order to expand it. After that, the arthroscope and thin surgical instruments will be inserted through small incisions. The camera will project the images of the joint on a TV screen and the surgeon will perform the procedure. Depending on the severity of the shoulder damage the whole procedure usually takes 1-3 hours.
Recovery after shoulder arthroscopy
Although shoulder arthroscopy does not involve big incisions, the recovery period is quite long and varies from 1 to 6 months depending on what repairs were done. Pain and discomfort of the shoulder may last for several weeks after the procedure. Ice and painkillers will relieve pain and swelling. Also, it is usually recommended to wear a sling right after the procedure to protect your shoulder. Many people may return to light daily activities after a week. However, heavier physical activities may not be safe for several months after arthroscopy.
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Types of Surgeries
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision.
Endoscopic surgery uses scopes going through small incisions or natural body openings in order to diagnose and treat disease. Another popular term is minimally invasive surgery (MIS), which emphasizes that diagnosis and treatments can be done with reduced body cavity invasion.
Open surgery is the traditional type of surgery in which an incision is made using a scalpel. While minimally invasive surgery has become increasingly popular, there are a number of situations in which open surgery is still preferable.
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