Do you experience shoulder pain, stiffness, and a reduced mobility? You might have heard of arthroscopic shoulder surgery in Mumbai. It’s a minimally-invasive medical procedure that’s known for treating a wide array of shoulder-related issues, such as rotator cuff tear, shoulder impingement, labrum tears, arthritis, and more.
However, like any surgery, arthroscopy comes with its share of risks you must be aware of. The question is, is arthroscopic shoulder surgery worth it? Let’s find out.
Understanding Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery uses an arthroscope (a small tube-like device) with a camera attached to its end to get a magnified view of the shoulder joints. Instead of a traditional open surgery that involves a large incision, arthroscopic surgery places several small incisions around the affected joint.
The tool is inserted through one of these incisions to give your surgeon a clear picture of the joints. The image is visible on the screen. The doctor then passes specialized tools to fix the damaged tissues.
Benefits of Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery
Here’s why shoulder specialist in Mumbai recommends arthroscopic surgery:
i) Minimally-Invasive Nature:
The surgery involves smaller cuts than the typical large incision in an open surgery. This speeds up healing and prevents significant trauma to the nearby tissues.
ii) Faster Recovery:
Minimal scarring from the surgery prevents tissue damage, which ensures faster healing. Depending on the damage, patients can usually resume physical activities within a few weeks and get back to their routine life in 3-6 months. The healing time is faster than that in traditional surgery.
iii) Relieved Pain:
The surgery not only fixes the pain caused by a shoulder injury but also involves less post-operative pain. Since it doesn’t damage nerves or irritate the tissues surrounding the affected joint, arthroscopic surgery is quite effective in providing relief from joint pain.
iv) Improved Mobility:
If your mobility has been compromised due to torn rotator cuffs or cartilage damage, arthroscopic surgery can diagnose and address the issue effectively. Once the surgery is over, you can enjoy normal shoulder flexibility.
Risks and Considerations
As mentioned earlier, the surgery comes with a few risks that a patient must consider before proceeding. Here are a few:
- Infection: To prevent infection on the surgical site, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic course.
- Joint stiffness: You may experience slight stiffness and weakness on the surgical joint, but that’s usually short-lived. However, a few patients report long-term joint weakness after surgery.
- Nerve Damage: Although it’s less likely, nerves located too close to the shoulder joints can be accidentally damaged during the surgery, leading to muscle weakness or a tingling sensation in the arm.
- Blood Clots: Your doctor will advise you to start moving your arms and legs right after arthroscopic surgery to minimize the risk of blood clots. They tend to form due to the limited mobility for an extended period.
Conclusion
Although surgery may sound intimidating, know that arthroscopic surgery is safe and effective for treating shoulder-related issues. It’s a minimally-invasive approach to addressing joint pain, limited mobility, stiffness, weakened muscles, and other such problems.
