At Syon Clinic,
our team of orthopaedic specialists is committed to offering the right treatment for your personal circumstances. In many cases, this won’t be surgery. Shoulder pain can often be treated with non-invasive methods such as injection therapy, pain medication or physiotherapy.
Still, for many people, shoulder surgery is the best option to treat the cause of their pain. Common procedures we perform at our hospital include:
Rotator cuff repair surgery
Your rotator cuff is formed of four muscles and tendons that merge to hold your shoulder firmly in place. You can damage your rotator cuff tendon through overuse or injury. If this happens, your Consultant will perform rotator cuff repair surgery to reattach the torn area of your tendon to the head of your humerus (upper arm bone).
Shoulder replacement surgery
The type of shoulder replacement surgery that you will require will depend on the condition of your shoulder. Your Orthopaedic Surgeon could perform partial shoulder replacement surgery, when the head of your humerus (upper arm bone) that forms the ball of your shoulder joint is removed and replaced with a prosthesis. In other cases, your Surgeon will also replace the socket of your shoulder joint with a prosthesis. This is known as a total shoulder replacement. Your Consultant will ensure you know what to expect from your shoulder replacement surgery before it happens.
Shoulder arthroscopy
This is a form of keyhole surgery to examine the inside of your shoulder joint, helping diagnose and treat a range of problems. A camera will be inserted through very small incisions in your shoulder to help diagnose the problems you are having. If possible, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will also perform treatment during the procedure.
Surgery for a dislocated shoulder
When your shoulder is dislocated, your humerus or upper arm bone is either partially or completely removed from its socket in your shoulder blade. Your Orthopaedic Surgeon will manipulate your shoulder and return your humerus to its usual position through a non-surgical technique known as reduction. This involves gently moving your arm around your shoulder joint until it fits back into your socket.
After a dislocation your labrum (a ring of cartilage around your socket) can become damaged, which creates instability in your shoulder and increases the likilihood of you experiencing another dislocation. If this happens to you, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will recommend surgery to repair any damage to your labrum. They will use a bone graft (a section of bone from a part of your shoulder blade called your coracoid process) to repair your shoulder socket.