The shoulder joint is commonly injured since it is very mobile. Frequent overhead movements and sudden trauma can damage the muscles and tendons around the shoulder joint. This can cause pain, tenderness, weakness, instability, and limitation of movement in the shoulder joint. Although symptoms, physical examination, and different types of X-rays and more specialised investigations such as MRI scans can tell us a great deal about the nature of the problem, we often need to use shoulder arthroscopy to determine more precisely what is wrong.

The types of disorders that can be diagnosed with arthroscopy include tears, swelling, abnormal formations, detachments, loose fragments (loose bodies), and arthritis. However, arthroscopy cannnot diagnose all conditions, therefore, after a proper examination, we will be able to determine if arthroscopy is right for you.

THE OPERATION

Arthroscopy is commonly known as 'key hole surgery'. usually two or three 5mm puncture wounds are only required, avoiding large wounds and scars.
Many shoulder operations can now be done by arthroscopy, rather than open surgery.

Arthroscopic surgery has the following advantages over open surgery, since smaller incisions are made and there is less dissection to surrounding structures.:
1. Recovery is usually quicker after arthroscopic surgery
2. Post-operative pain is usually less.
3. The operations can often be done as a Day case
4. There may be less complications of surgery

The shoulder joint is examined using a very small telescope with television camera introduced through a small 'key hole'. This telescope and camera is known as the Arthroscope. It allows the surgeon to see the area where he or she is working on a TV screen. Through other small incisions, the surgeon can insert special instruments.

(images above courtesy of shoulderdoc.co.uk)