What is Rotator Cuff Repair?

The rotator cuff is a group of ligaments that form a cover over the shoulder joint to support the pivoting motion of your arm at the shoulder. These muscles hold the arm in its ball and socket joint which helps the shoulder to rotate and move.  The tendons get ragged due to overuse or injury. Rotator cuff repair is a type of surgery to repair worn-out tendons in the shoulder. Simply, rotator cuff surgery is the repair of inflammation or tears of the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder.

There are four tendons in the rotator cuff which are individually attached to the following muscles: teres minor, subscapularis, infraspinatus and supraspinatus. There are three main rotator cuff repair techniques:

–          Open repair

–          Mini open repair

–          Arthroscopic repair

If the rotator cuff tears fully, then it is impossible to let it repair naturally, and in that case surgery becomes necessary. The improvement after surgery is better than not having surgery since there will no power or movement in the shoulder otherwise. The improvement depends upon the post-surgery condition. The surgery for rotator cuff is performed as a last resort. If the tear is partial, then surgery may not be the right option. In such cases, the rotator cuff repair gets better with the help of physical therapy.

The surgical procedure can be done with a large incision or with shoulder arthroscopy which uses small button-hole sized incisions. Nowadays, the incisions have become smaller and a technique named mini-open rotator cuff repair in Naples has become more common. In this technique, an arthroscopy is performed on the shoulder. A small camera is used to look into the joint and visualize on a television monitor. Much of the work is carried out with the arthroscope and small instruments while the actual work is done through a small incision of about 3-4 centimeters.

Surgery to rotator cuff repair is very successful to relieve pain in the shoulder. If the tear is large, the rotator cuff repair may require a long recovery period. Recovery rate varies from 3-6 months depending upon the size of tear and other physiological factors. Physical therapy may help you regain motion and strength in your shoulder. Again, the length of therapy also depends upon the type of repair performed.

 

The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not to be construed as medical care or medical advice and is not a replacement for medical care given by your physicians or trained medical personnel