What makes arthroscopic surgery different
Question: How is arthroscopic surgery different than normal surgery?
Answer: Classic surgical techniques for the shoulder typically involve making a large enough incision to see and work through, and repairing the involved structures while directly looking at them. Shoulder arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves inserting a highdefinition camera with fiber-optic lighting into the shoulder through tiny holes in the skin. Initially, it was only a way to see what was happening inside the shoulder on a TV screen and a larger incision was then required. Pioneering surgeons gradually developed more tools and techniques. Nowadays, many procedures that could only be performed in the 1980s-90s through standard incisions can be performed arthroscopically with fantastic results.
As surgeons gained experience with this technology, more and more procedures could be accomplished through tiny holes in the skin and the patients were able to go home on the same day of surgery. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, for example, can have a success rate of up to 94 percent, with durable results and minimal complications.
As with any procedure, the surgeon’s experience is a critical factor for patient outcomes – but not the only factor. Protection of the repair work that is done inside the shoulder, and appropriate rehabilitation are also very important if you want a great result. I have performed more than 2,000 arthroscopic shoulder procedures, and the best outcomes are the result of teamwork between the surgeon, patient and therapist.
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery has really come a long way – so far, in fact, that most patients would be surprised how much work can be done on the inside through those tiny holes in the skin. Dr. Howard Routman, a Board-certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in shoulder reconstruction, is also an internationally-known educator on disorders of the shoulder. He performed the first reverse shoulder replacement in South Florida in 2003, and he is the Director of The Palm Beach Shoulder Service at Atlantis Orthopaedics, with offices in Atlantis and Palm Beach Gardens.