Making Sense of Shoulder Surgery

One of the principal complaints that brings patients to my door is shoulder pain, especially chronic pain brought on by repetitive movements or athletic trauma. Although many symptoms can be relieved with rest, medication and exercise, there are some issues that remain so stubbornly painful that shoulder surgery is the only option.

Shoulder surgery can take many forms, depending on the source and cause of the injury. But the basics remain more or less the same for most procedures, as outlined in this simple description:

During conventional shoulder surgery, a large open incision is made in order to reattach the tendon to the bone where it pulled apart. Sometimes open surgery is performed through small incisions that makeup only a few inches. Dissolvable sutures that will not have to be taken out at a later time are frequently used to fasten the tendons. At the completion of the open surgery, the incisions are closed followed by the application of a dressing.

As an orthopedic surgeon in San Diego, I see a lot of injuries due to sports, exercise and even military service. Our approach is holistically oriented, which means we take each patient’s full lifestyle into consideration as we design a surgical plan that makes sense for you.

If you’ve been experiencing shoulder pain and want to speak with an expert orthopedic surgeon today, please contact my offices.