About the Shoulder
The shoulder is a ball and socket joint held together by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that arise from the shoulder blade and rotate the shoulder. The rotator cuff travels under the part of the shoulder blade called the acromion. There is a small fluid filled sac called the bursa between the rotator cuff and acromion. Inflammation of the bursa (bursitis) can be painful. Tears of the rotator may cause pain and weakness in the shoulder.
The labrum is a soft tissue “bumper” in the shoulder that stabilizes the ball (the humeral head) in the socket (the glenoid) and serves as the attachment of the biceps tendon. Shoulder dislocations may cause the labrum to pull off from the front of the glenoid (Bankart tear). Labral tears at the attachment of the biceps tendon at the top of the labrum are called SLAP tears.
Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is minimally invasive surgery performed through small incisions that minimize postoperative pain and accelerate recovery. Through advanced surgical techniques, tears of the rotator cuff or labrum can be repaired arthroscopically. Arthroscopy can also be used to remove bursitis and bone spurs in the shoulder.
Shoulder Replacement Surgery
When shoulder arthritis is severe and the pain is not relieved by conservative treatment, a prosthetic replacement of the humeral head (hemiarthroplasty) or the humeral head and glenoid joint surfaces (total shoulder arthroplasty) can be performed.
For further shoulder information check out the links below:
