The shoulder is one of the most flexible joints in human’s body. Shoulders allow you to move and turn your arms in different directions, such as up, down, left and right. On the other hand, their flexibility makes them sensitive to instabilities and probable injuries. In the case of shoulder injuries, surgery can be one of the best available treatments. However, based on the type and seriousness of the injury, many doctors would recommend other kinds of treatments rather than surgery. It should be mentioned that there are cases in which delays in performing the shoulder surgery has reduced the efficiency of the procedure and increased the period of healing. In the long term and especially for the case of shoulder injuries, an accurate diagnosis and treatment is of significant importance.

Different types of shoulder surgeries

Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy allows orthopedic surgeons to insert a very thin pencil-sized instrument which contains a lighting system and a small lens to examine the inner parts of the joint. The light will then be transmitted to the monitor and this allows the doctor to diagnose the problems inside the joints. During this procedure and if it’s needed, other surgical instruments may also be used depending on the condition of the joints. This shoulder surgery can be performed without the need of general anesthesia and it has a minimum number of side effects. According to the American Orthopaedic Association, each year more than 1.4 million Arthroscopy surgeries are performed all around the world.

Open repair

According to the conditions of the injury, open repair would be necessary for some of the patients. An interesting fact is that, in some cases, open repair leads to a better result than Arthroscopy. This procedure usually is performed through small incisions that are several inches long. During the open repair, the surgeon removes the bone spurs from the underside of the acromion (this is also the reason why this procedure is called an acromioplasty). In the event of large or complicated tears or for situations in which complex reconstructions, such as tendon transferring is needed, this procedure would be the best choice. Open repair was the first technique for repairing rotator cuff tears, throughout the years and due to the presence of advanced technologies, less invasive methods are employed.

Recovery after the shoulder surgery

After the Arthroscopy surgery, the patient will be kept in the recovery room for one to two hours. This is to make sure that the patient is not suffering from general anesthesia side effects. The recovery period after the Arthroscopy will be on the order of a couple of weeks, which is shorter than the open repair procedure. The Arthroscopy surgery is a fast and efficient procedure which is recommended by many doctors all around the world.

The probable complications after shoulder surgery

In any surgery, including Arthroscopy, there are dangers and complications. However, advanced surgical methods have significantly reduced these complications. Possible complications of shoulder surgery may include:

• Possible infections, redness and damage on nerves and veins around the shoulder
• Pain, sensitivity and muscle tightness
• Inflation or fever for a few days after the surgery
• Excessive bleeding (in some cases, bleeding of the surgical wound is expected and in fact is a good sign.)
• Tiredness or irritation in the arm or hand
• Preventing the further complications of shoulder surgery

After the shoulder surgery, it is important to have a daily routine for exercising   your shoulder .In general, patients who perform exercises recommended by their orthopedic surgeon and physiotherapist, get better results and heal faster.

Summary:

While shoulder surgery is rarely an initial step for treating shoulder injuries, in some cases it would still be the best choice that a patient can have. Arthroscopy is a shoulder surgery procedure, which is less invasive and has more benefits in comparison to other traditional ones.