The rotator cuffs in your shoulders enable you to use your arms to their full extent; an injury can be both painful and disabling. If you require rotator cuff surgery for your injury, Babak Samimi, MD, and David Eldringhoff, MD, at Samimi Orthopedic Group can help. They use advanced, minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques to undertake rotator cuff repairs that produce exceptional results. To benefit from rotator cuff surgery with one of the country's most experienced shoulder surgeons, call one of the Los Angeles area offices in Brentwood, West Covina, or Sherman Oaks, California, or book an appointment online today.
Your rotator cuff comprises four muscles in your shoulder connected to the humerus (upper arm bone). It holds the humerus in place so you can rotate and raise your arm and is particularly important when performing actions above head height. You might need rotator cuff surgery if you tear one of these muscles or tendons.
Rotator cuff tears typically occur in people who spend a lot of time with their arms above their head, either at work or when playing sports. In some cases, the injury results from acute trauma, while other tears result from tendon overuse.
Surgery might be necessary when conventional treatments such as activity modification, anti-inflammatory pain medication, physical therapy, strengthening workouts, and steroid injections aren't resolving the pain and loss of function in your rotator cuff. Dr. Samimi also performs surgery earlier if you have a severe tear of the rotator cuff.
Rotator cuff surgery assists with pain relief, improves strength, restores your range of motion, and prevents further tearing.
The procedure Dr. Samimi uses to perform rotator cuff surgery may vary according to the type of tear and the extent of the damage.
A fractional tear may require debridement (smoothing off) of the torn part of your rotator cuff. To repair a complete (full-thickness) tear, Dr. Samimi needs to reattach the edges of the tendon to the bone.
Dr. Samimi is one of the best shoulder surgeons and specializes in using arthroscopic techniques to perform rotator cuff surgery. Arthroscopy involves creating a minute incision in your skin, then inserting the pencil-sized arthroscope into your shoulder.
The arthroscope has a miniature camera that relays magnified, lighted images of the rotator cuff to a screen. Dr. Samimi uses these images to guide the arthroscope and its instrumentation.
Dr. Samimi evaluates the degree and pattern of the rotator cuff tear then positions the camera in the subacromial space above your rotator cuff. Then, he removes any damaged or inflamed tissue and bone spurs if they're present.
Your doctor repairs the tendon or reattaches it to the bone using suture anchors – plastic, metal, or dissolvable fixtures that won't need removal – then closes the incisions.
After rotator cuff surgery, most patients go home the same day. You need to undergo physical therapy for optimal recovery.
Dr. Samimi takes stills of your rotator cuff surgery from the video monitor so you can observe the extent of the damage and how he repaired the tendon.
If you have a shoulder injury, contact Samimi Orthopedic Group to see how rotator cuff surgery can help. Call one of the offices or book an appointment online today.
