Shoulder Surgery

Your shoulder is the most flexible joint in your body. It allows you to place and rotate your arm in many positions in front, above, to the side, and behind your body.
This flexibility also makes your shoulder susceptible to instability and injury.
Depending on the nature of the problem, nonsurgical methods of treatment often are recommended before surgery. However, in some instances, delaying the surgical repair of a shoulder can increase the likelihood that the problem will be more difficult to treat later.
Early, correct diagnosis and treatment of shoulder problems can make a significant difference in the long run.
At UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic, your Orthopaedic Consultant will evaluate you physically, arrange all necessary diagnostic imaging and explain the most appropriate course of treatment available to you, whether it be Physiotherapy, Surgery or Strength and Conditioning.

 

For further information on this subject please email info@sportssurgeryclinic.com or call +353 1 5262000

How the Shoulder works

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. It is made up  of three bones: the upper arm bone (humerus), shoulder blade (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle). The ball at the top end of the arm bone fits into the small socket (glenoid) of the shoulder blade to form the shoulder joint (glenohumeral joint).

The socket of the glenoid is surrounded by a soft-tissue rim (labrum). A smooth, durable surface (articular cartilage) on the head of the arm bone, and a thin inner lining (synovium) of the joint allows the smooth motion of the shoulder joint.

The upper part of the shoulder blade (acromion) projects over the shoulder joint. One end of the collarbone is joined with the shoulder blade by the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. The other end of the collarbone is joined with the breastbone (sternum) by the sternoclavicular joint.

The joint capsule is a thin sheet of fibers that surrounds the shoulder joint. The capsule allows a wide range of motion, yet provides stability. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that attach your upper arm to your shoulder blade. The rotator cuff covers the shoulder joint and joint capsule.

The muscles attached to the rotator cuff enable you to lift your arm, reach overhead, and take part in activities such as throwing or swimming.

A sac-like membrane (bursa) between the rotator cuff and the shoulder blade cushions and helps lubricate the motion between these two structures.

Orthopaedic Evaluation

ORTHOPAEDIC EVALUATION

The orthopaedic evaluation of your shoulder consists of three components:
  • A medical history to gather information about current complaints; duration of symptoms, pain and limitations; injuries; and past treatment with medications or surgery.
  • A physical examination to assess swelling, tenderness, range of motion, strength or weakness, instability, and/or deformity of the shoulder.
  • Diagnostic tests, such as X-rays taken with the shoulder in various positions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be helpful in assessing soft tissues in the shoulder. Computed tomography (CT) scan may be used to evaluate the bony parts of the shoulder.
The results of your evaluation will be discussed  with you, and the best treatments will be explained. It may be agreed that surgery is the best treatment option in some cases.

Surgical procedures

ARTHROSCOPY

Arthroscopy allows the surgeon to insert a pencil-thin device with a small lens and lighting system into tiny incisions to look inside the joint. The images inside the joint are relayed to a TV monitor, allowing the doctor to make a diagnosis. Other surgical instruments can be inserted to make repairs, based on what is with the arthroscope.
Arthroscopy often can be done on an outpatient basis. According to the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, more than 1.4 million shoulder arthroscopies are performed worldwide
each year.

OPEN SURGERY

Open surgery may be necessary and, in some cases, may be associated with better results than arthroscopy. Open surgery often can be done through small incisions of just a few inches.
Recovery and rehabilitation is related to the type of surgery performed inside the shoulder, rather than whether there was an arthroscopic or open surgical procedure.

Download Brochure

Click here to download the brochure The Shoulder

Specialists in this field

James Colville

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Ruth Delaney

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Darragh Hynes

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Diarmuid Molony

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Professor Cathal J Moran

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Hannan Mullett

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Shea (James) O'Flanagan

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Ronan McKeown

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Ann-Maria Byrne

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Robert Piggott

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