Arthroscopic posterior capsulolabral repair

Arthroscopic posterior capsulolabral repair is a type of surgery performed to cure shoulder joint instabilities, mainly those that affect the posterior labrum and the joint capsule. In the shoulder, the posterior labrum is a fibrocartilaginous structure that stabilizes the shoulder by making the glenoid cavity deeper. Tears of the posterior labral, which mainly occur because of any trauma, stress or overusing activities such as sports involving throwing, result in pain, weakness and recurring dislocations of the shoulder. 

The procedure

The main aim of arthroscopic posterior capsulolabral repair is restoration of the shoulder’s stability and functionality. In this procedure, the torn labrum is reattached and the posterior capsule is tightened. It requires minimum invasion and is done by using an arthroscope, which is a small camera that is put into the shoulder joint through a small incision. The inserted arthroscope offers a proper view of the internal structures of the shoulder on a monitor, helping the surgeon to make a good diagnosis of the extent of the injury and the performance of the required repairs.

Before the start of the procedure, the patient is given general anesthesia. Then the surgeon makes a tiny incision across the shoulder to insert the arthroscope and other special devices. The first step is a proper examination of the shoulder joint to assess the damage. Upon identifying the labral tear, the surgeon will prepare the area for repair through debridement of the loosened or damaged tissue. This process helps in the creation of a clean and highly stable atmosphere for the labrum to get reattached and heal rightly.

Next, the torn labrum is reattached to the glenoid. This is attained by making use of suture anchors and tiny devices that are put into the bone and offer a safe point of attachment for the sutures. The surgeon fixes those anchors around the tear, threading the sutures across the labral tissue and tying them to pull the labrum back to the right position. Other than the labral repair, the surgeon also shifts the capsule, which is a method for tightening the stretched joint capsule. This assists in increasing shoulder stability by decreasing excess mobility and offers extra support to the repaired labrum.

Benefits

Arthroscopic posterior capsulolabral repair is a minimally invasive procedure that provides many advantages when compared to traditional surgical techniques. Because of the small size of the incision, the pain after the operation is less, so is the risk of infection, and the recovery time is short. 

Scarring is minimum as well, and patients can go back to normal activities soon. However, the success of the procedure highly depends on the adherence of the patient to rehabilitation programmes after the surgery.

Conclusion

Arthroscopic posterior capsulolabral repair has proved to be favorable for several patients, primarily athletes, who want to go back to physical activities. This is a surgical procedure that helps in alleviating shoulder pain and instabilities, thereby restoring function.

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