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Different kinds of rotator cuff surgery
Rotator cuff injuries are common and chances of developing them increase as one ages. These injuries can also affect people having jobs that need repetitive overhead movements, such as carpenters and painters. Most people with rotator cuff injuries do not require surgery. Yet, it is recommended when a person has moderate to significant pain and feebleness in the shoulder or does not get benefits from any kind of non-surgical treatment. Surgery is also required when the rotator cuff injury is a tear caused by some new injury.
Types of rotator cuff surgery
There are three different kinds of surgery options for repairing rotator cuff injuries. These surgeries combine both arthroscopic and open methods.
Open rotator cuff repair
In this surgery, a large incision, several centimeters long, is made on the shoulder. The shoulder muscle is separated to reach the torn tendon for repair. Generally, this surgery is recommended for those people who
- Have big or complex tears
- Need rebuilding processes, like tendon transfers
Transfer of tendon is carried out in case of severe injuries in the rotator cuff, where the damaged tendon can’t be reattached to the humerus. In such cases, a tendon from another body location is taken, primarily the latissimus dorsi tendon present in the back, and is used for repairing the rotator cuff.
In this surgical process, the surgeon might also take out bone spurs, which is a sign of osteoarthritis and can cause shoulder pain or impact the shoulder joint.
Mini open rotator cuff repair
This is a kind of rotator cuff surgery that makes use of both open surgery and arthroscopic methods. Arthroscopy is utilized for evaluation of the injury, trimming the bone spurs, and also removal of the loosened cartilage. Then an incision of size 1–5 inches is made, through which the surgeon gets visual access for repairing the rotator cuff injury. It requires less invasion as compared to open surgery and does not require detachment of the shoulder muscle. This combined surgical method is best for people who have multiple rotator cuff tendon tears.
Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
In this surgical procedure, the surgeon will insert a small camera along with surgical instruments through small incisions. This is a type of rotator cuff surgery that is used for treating patients with small- to mid-sized tears. It is an outpatient surgery and requires minimal invasions as compared to the two other kinds of rotator cuff surgery. This means a short recovery time for the patient, along with less pain and less chance of complications.
Conclusion
All three kinds of rotator cuff surgeries give the same results in terms of getting relief from pain, improvement of strength, and functioning of the rotator cuff. However, the kind of surgery that the surgeon recommends depends on many factors, such as the tear size, the anatomy of the patient and also the condition of the tendons, bones and tissues of the patient.
The main goal of any rotator cuff surgery is decreasing shoulder pain and restoration of the shoulder functioning. Most surgeries are outpatient, which means patients are not required to stay in the hospital or the surgical centre.
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