Rotator cuff treat treatment usually initiates with a significant effort at conservative therapy. The type of rotator cuff tear (acute versus longstanding), the size of the tear, and the patient’s activities will impact the effectiveness of nonsurgical treatment options.
Over 50 percent of patients with rotator cuff tears will find non-surgical procedures effective in relieving their symptoms.
Thomas and Bigler Knee and Shoulder Institute, led by astute board certified orthopedic surgeons Dr. Steven C. Thomas and Dr. Gregory T. Bigler, provides orthopedic treatments to patients in Las Vegas, Nevada, and other suburbs and neighborhoods in The Sagebrush State.
Open Surgical Rotator Cuff Repair
All rotator cuff tear repair treatments involved the surgeon looking directly at the torn tendon through an incision around six to ten cm in length before the advent of arthroscopic surgery. The benefit of open rotator cuff repairs is that the surgeon can clearly view the rotator cuff tendons in this technique.
The process of repair itself is straightforward, and a majority of surgeons consider this surgical procedure to be more efficient and effective. A disadvantage is that the incision is significant making the recovery duration longer and more painful.
Mini-Open Rotator Cuff Repair
The mini-open rotator cuff repair method involves an arthroscopic part of the surgery as well as a small incision to access the torn rotator cuff. The surgeon can view the shoulder joint by using an arthroscope and remove any bone spurs or damaged tissue. They can make preparations for the rotator cuff repair arthroscopically.
After the arthroscopic part of the procedure is complete, a smaller incision is placed to repair the tendon back to the bone. This incision is around 3 cm in length, and the recovery may be more comfortable in comparison to an open cuff repair.
Similar to open rotator cuff repair, this procedure also involves some deltoid muscle trauma. However, there is no detachment, and the damage is less severe.
All-Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
An arthroscopic rotator cuff repair involves the placement of tiny incisions, and the repair is performed with the surgeon viewing the torn rotator cuff tendons and their repair through a small camera which projects on a television screen. In the area of rotator cuff tear treatment, this is a recent development. This procedure cannot address all types of tears.
In addition, arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs can be technically challenging. The surgeon must have expertise in this repair method. There is no consensus between surgeons that arthroscopic repair is as effective as repair carried out via an open incision. The deltoid muscle sustains only minor damage using the arthroscopic rotator cuff repair method.
Shoulder Replacement Surgery
More significant rotator cuff tears that have been left untreated for many years cause the shoulder joint cartilage to wear out eventually. These large rotator cuff tears are also known as massive rotator cuff tears. They involve a minimum of two of the four rotator cuff tendons.
A condition known as rotator cuff tear arthropathy is a dual problem which involves a large rotator cuff tear and shoulder arthritis. Since the rotator cuff is damaged, a standard replacement is typically not suitable in this case.
The patient will receive special implants to compensate for the abnormal functioning of the rotator cuff. One of these special implants is known as a reverse shoulder replacement.
Reliable board certified orthopedic surgeons Dr. Thomas and Dr. Bigler receive patients from Las Vegas, Nevada and nearby areas across the horizon for orthopedic treatments.
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