Shoulder Arthroscopy

What is a shoulder arthroscopy?

– Also called keyhole or minimally invasive surgery, arthroscopic surgery is a simple day stay procedure which involves Dr Herald using a special instrument known as an arthroscope.
– The arthroscope allows Dr Herald to look into your joint via a very small incision (usually less than 1cm) without having to open the joint up
– With fibre-optic light and a magnifying glass, the arthroscope provides a very accurate view of your joint to determine what needs a clean up, repair or reconstruction
– A miniscule camera simultaneously transmits images of your joint to a TV monitor for Dr Herald to view

What conditions is arthroscopy used to diagnose and treat?

Arthroscopy is useful for many acute sports and work injuries including:
– Shoulder Arthritis
– Shoulder Instability
– Rotator Cuff Tears 
– Subacromial Decompression (shoulder impingement)
– Frozen Shoulder
– Removal of loose bodies floating around the joint
– SLAP lesions 
– Biceps tendonitis/tears

What are the benefits?

– Day surgery, so there’s no need to stay in hospital for lengthy periods
– Optimal recovery due to less invasive procedures
– Less risk of infection or after care issues

See Dr Herald’s post-surgical protocol for shoulder arthroscopy here