Are you experiencing pain in your shoulder and finding it hard to lift and rotate your arm? If so, you may have a torn rotator cuff. Rotator cuff injuries can occur following an accident — such as falling on an outstretched arm — or after many years of wear and tear. They can be extremely painful and cause numerous other unpleasant symptoms, including weakness and a crackling sensation. Fortunately, residents of Reno and Carson City can turn to Swift Institute for treatment. The orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine physicians on our team have extensive experience performing surgery to repair torn rotator cuffs.
Many patients are able to relieve their symptoms using conservative means, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), corticosteroid injections, physical therapy, and rest. But, in some cases, surgery may be needed to effectively repair a torn rotator cuff. Surgery typically involves repairing the tear and reattaching the injured rotator cuff tendon to the humerus (the bone in your upper arm). In other cases, where a rotator cuff injury is less severe, surgery may involve simply smoothing or trimming the tendon (often referred to as “debridement”). The experienced physicians at our clinic will be able to evaluate your injury and recommend a course of treatment that’s best suited to your condition.
What Does Rotator Cuff Surgery Involve?
Rotator cuff surgery is a type of procedure used to relieve pressure on the pinched nerve in the torn rotator cuff. It involves removing the fragments of damaged tendon and possibly shaving bone from the shoulder blade to make more room for the shoulder to rotate without irritation. For patients recommended for rotator cuff surgery, Swift Institute in Reno and Carson City has a team of orthopedic surgeons who are experienced in treating this condition.
At Swift Institute, we believe each patient should be fully informed of the available treatment options and what each treatment entails. For that reason, when you schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic surgeons at our Reno clinic to discuss rotator cuff surgery, we will explain to you exactly what happens during the procedure, so you can be confident about the treatment option you choose. Surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff typically entails the following steps:
- An incision is made in the shoulder or upper back to access the torn rotator cuff.
- The surgeon will remove the damaged pieces of tendon and bursa and any other torn fragments from the rotator cuff injury. These fragments can compress nearby nerves and also make movement in the shoulder difficult and painful.
- Flexibility is then restored to the rotator cuff by shaving down the shoulder blade to allow the tendon on the rotator cuff to have more room to move and rotate.
- Once the tendon has more room to move, the surgeon will then add stability to the rotator cuff by attaching the tendon to the humerus (the upper bone of the arm).
To learn more about the rotator cuff surgery we offer to patients in Reno and Carson City, contact Swift Institute today and schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic surgeons.
