Arthroscopic Surgery
This is known as 'keyhole' surgeryand the chief advantage is that the soft tissue envelope around the shoulder is minimally disturbed. Small incisions (normally three or four) are made in order to insert instruments into and thereby operate in either the subacromial space or the shoulder joint. This type of surgery generally allows for quicker recovery times. Patients who are fit can have their surgery performed as a day case because of the decreased tissue disturbance provided there is adequate pain control post-operatively. However the surgical technique requires a large capital outlay in order to set the service up with significant revenue costs to support such a service once it is up and running. The surgeon also is required to maintain his/her skills with continuous professional development.
