The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that secures your shoulder bones in place and allows your arm to move around. A variety of conditions and injuries can damage the rotator cuff, cause pain, and make it difficult for you to move your arm. When non-surgical treatment does not improve your symptoms, surgery can help.
Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is a minimally invasive technique we specialize in at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. The procedure uses an arthroscope, or thin, flexible tube equipped with a small camera. Your surgeon inserts the arthroscope through a small incision in your shoulder. The camera magnifies your injury onto a screen, and allows your surgeon to visualize the damage in detail. The surgeon can then repair your tissue and restore the torn cuff to its correct position at the top of your arm bone very precisely without affecting any surrounding tissue.
Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery – MedStar Georgetown’s Experienced Approach
The experience of Georgetown’s orthopaedic shoulder surgeons in arthroscopic and minimally invasive surgery is unparalleled at any other hospital in the region. We perform close to 500 arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgeries every year. You can rest assured that your surgeon is fellowship trained in surgery and specializes only in shoulder surgery. Our team leads the field in both innovative research and in training other surgeons around the country in surgical procedures.
When you visit us, we take time to explain the details of your condition or injury and to discuss all available surgical options to you and your family. We work together on a treatment plan that will feel most appropriate for you, that will effectively alleviate your pain, and that will restore your function as quickly as possible. You also benefit from the personalized rehabilitation program that we design to support your recovery.
We use arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery to treat a variety of rotator cuff problems including:
Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery Recovery
Recovery from arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery generally involves protecting your arm in a sling for about a month, followed by about five months of physical therapy to regain strength and range of motion. Your orthopaedic surgeon will discuss the specific program designed for you prior to your procedure.
