Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Surgery Q&A

The rotator cuff is one of the most important parts of the shoulder and consists of a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint and keep the head of the upper arm bone (the humerus) in place. It is the rotator cuff that allows movement of the arm and shoulder such as lifting the arms and reaching up.

Following an injury to the rotator cuff initial, non-surgical, recommendations generally include rest, ice packs, and special exercises which, if the injury isn’t severe, are usually successful in reducing pain and restoring movement.  However, if the injury has resulted in a tear in one of the four tendons that make up the rotator cuff, ice, rest and exercise will help to decrease the pain, but they won’t repair the damage. In these cases, surgery will likely be the next step.

Aside from continued pain, other factors that will be taken into account when considering surgery are:

-Whether the individual is particularly active and uses their arms for sports or overhead work
-symptoms that have lasted for six to twelve months such as a dull ache in the shoulder, pain when reaching up or behind the back, or weakness in the arm
-there is a tear more than 3 cm long and the surrounding tendon tissue is healthy
-there is a marked weakness and loss of function in the shoulder
-the tear was caused by a recent, acute injury such as a fall, lifting something too heavy or having the shoulder forced into an unnatural position.

One of the surgical options used to repair rotator cuff tears is arthroscopy.  During this minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon will insert a small camera, called an arthroscope, into the shoulder joint. By using miniature surgical instruments, the surgeon is able to complete the repair guided by images from the camera displayed on a screen in the operating room.

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery is the least invasive method of repairing a tendon tear and will usually be performed as an outpatient procedure. This means that the recovery time is much shorter than a more invasive procedure and will normally just require a sling to be worn for a few days following the surgery. Your surgeon will discuss specific post-surgery instructions with you before you leave.

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is one of the procedures commonly carried out at Southern Sports Medicine Institute and you can find out more about it by connecting with us today!  During a consultation we will be happy to provide you with a full evaluation and give you further information on the procedure. Call us, or schedule an appointment online, today to see if arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery is right for you!  We serve patients from Gallatin TN, Nashville TN, Castalian Springs TN, Laguardo TN, Cottontown TN, and Graball TN.

If the injury has not improved within 6 to 12 months, and/or you’ve lost strength in your shoulder these are common signs that you may require surgery. Surgery can relieve pain and restore function to a shoulder, and certain kinds of surgeries can be done on an outpatient basis.

First of all, the procedure can be done under either general anesthesia or local anesthesia (with a regional block). You and the surgeon can discuss the best option for you.

During the procedure, the surgeon will make one or two small, simple cuts, then inserts a tiny camera into the patient’s shoulder. The camera will allow the surgeon to see which parts of the rotator cuff are damaged and how to address them. The procedure itself involves removing any debris around the shoulder joint or reattaching the tendons to the bone (often using stitches and small rivets).

There’s a special arthroscopic “multi-pass” suture repair technique that we developed here at Southern Sports Medicine Institute. It was our primary surgeon, Dr. Gautsch, who developed this technique, and it has been tested and proved to be stronger than many standard repair methods. This means a patient may have a much quicker and easier recovery!

After surgery, a patient typically needs only a simple sling for 3-4 days.

You can learn more by connecting with us here at Southern Sports Medicine Institute! We’d be happy to tell you more over the phone or in-person, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us today! During a consultation we will provide you with a full evaluation and further information on the procedure. Contact us today. We serve patients from Gallatin TN, Nashville TN, Castalian Springs TN, Laguardo TN, Cottontown TN, and Graball TN.