Rotator Cuff Repair
What is rotator cuff repair?
The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. It consists of the glenoid fossa (socket) and humeral head (ball) that fits into the socket. The rotator cuff is a critical group of muscles surrounding the shoulder joint, which facilitate shoulder movement and stability. It consists of the muscles and their corresponding tendons: subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor. A surgeon will examine the shoulder joint space and treat the patient’s pain and restricted range of motion. The surgeon may remove bone spurs responsible for tearing muscles and tendons as well as physically pinching the humerus (upper arm bone) against the acromion (bony shoulder protrusion). Generally, the surgeon reattaches the supraspinatus tendon to the humeral head, as done in complete tears. Partial tears of the tendon may only require brief debridement (shaving). This is typically done as an arthroscopic surgery that requires a small incision and arthroscope (camera) to minimize muscle loss and damage. In some cases, open surgery may be necessary. The surgeon will decide on the appropriate treatment based on your age, tear location, tear length, and overall stability of your shoulder joint.
Who needs rotator cuff repair?
Rotator cuff injuries are evident by patients reporting pain and a limited range of motion of the shoulder joint. Rotator cuff injury occurrence increases with age and playing sports straining the shoulder joint with overhead movements. Those in construction professions, or those playing sports like baseball, basketball, swimming, and tennis are at increased risks of rotator cuff tears. Rotator cuff repair candidates are those who did not respond favourably to conservative treatments like cortisone injections, rest and stretching exercises.
More about rotator cuff repairs...
Open surgeries may be required for complex tears. A surgeon will prefer arthroscopic surgery as open surgery requires moving the deltoid (shoulder) muscle out of the way and this may increase risk of complications. The patient may also require total shoulder replacement depending on the degradation of the shoulder joint, muscles and tendons. Those with partial tears should discuss surgery options with their physician as tears tend to grow and patients experience poorer prognosis in complete tear surgeries because of ongoing muscle atrophy and tendon damage.
Life after rotator cuff repairs...
Smaller tears see a success rate upwards of 95%!