Shoulder Surgery

What is shoulder surgery?

Shoulder surgery is a group of surgical procedures that treat the shoulder joint. The leading surgeons at Los Angeles Orthopedic Surgery Specialists understand the complexities of the shoulder joint, allowing them to offer the best in shoulder surgery for people with chronic pain and disability. 

What conditions does shoulder surgery treat? 

Your shoulder joint has bones, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues that work together in a complex manner. A problem like a tendon tear can reverberate through your whole shoulder and arm, leading to severe pain and dysfunction. Some of the most common reasons to have shoulder surgery are: 

• Rotator cuff tears (tendon tears)
• Cartilage tears, like labral tears
• Arthritis
• Frozen shoulder
• Shoulder impingement (rotator cuff tendonitis)
• Shoulder instability

A nonsurgical approach is usually the first step in treating shoulder issues. Physical therapy, pain management, activity modifications, and injections — platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or corticosteroids — can all help people with shoulder issues to function better. 

However, should you not feel better after trying nonsurgical treatments for a while, the Los Angeles Orthopedic Surgery Specialists team may recommend surgery. 

What happens during shoulder surgery?

Shoulder surgery techniques can vary based on what type of injury or condition you have. Most shoulder surgeries involve minimally invasive techniques like arthroscopic surgery (arthroscopy). 

With arthroscopy, your surgeon uses quarter-inch incisions to insert tools that help them view your joint from within as they perform your procedure. This approach minimizes bleeding, tissue damage, pain, and risk of infections after surgery. Arthroscopy can treat shoulder problems on a same-day basis. 

Some shoulder problems, particularly complicated damage like severe osteoarthritis, require a different approach. For example, in shoulder replacement surgery, you typically have one six-inch incision. 

After shoulder surgery, you’ll most likely wear an immobilization device that keeps your shoulder in the proper position. You’ll have some discomfort in the days right after your surgery, but the team makes sure you have good pain management options during that time. 

Normally, physical therapy starts a week or so after your surgery. This helps you build strength so you can return to your normal activities.

To schedule your shoulder surgery, call Los Angeles Orthopedic Surgery Specialists or click on the online booking feature today.