Overview
Patients may need shoulder surgery for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, sport-related injuries or arthritis prevents full range of motion and intense pain. Individuals of all ages may benefit from shoulder surgery, and based on the type of pain experienced by the patient, doctors complete a full evaluation to determine what type of procedure will repair the ailment, or at the very least, reduce symptoms and help restore quality of life and range of motion for daily activities.

Popular Shoulder Surgery Procedures

• Open surgery - Often times this procedure has better results than with Arthroscopy. Surgeons can perform this surgery with small incisions, and healing time is dependent on what type of surgery is performed.
• Arthroscopy - this procedure can be done by a surgeon using thin tubes that have lighting and lens being inserted into an incision to look at the shoulder joints on a TV monitor. To make repairs, instruments are also inserted through the small tubes and seen by the monitor to do the procedure.
  • Arthroscopy surgery may treat such conditions as:
    • Rotator Cuff Tears
    • Biceps Tendonitis
    • Shoulder Labral Tears
    • Impingement Syndrome
    • Frozen Shoulder
    • AC (acromioclavicular) Joint Arthritis

Treatments
Before the surgical procedure, doctors will go over instructions with the patient regarding therapy as well as changing medications or stop taking supplements that can increase bleeding during the surgery. Patients are advised to stop smoking prior to the procedure as well.

Depending on the type of procedure needed to make repairs to the shoulder, surgeons will make incisions over the area to be fixed, and complete the procedure. In more advanced procedures like joint replacement, the surgeons will make an incision over the area, and remove either the entire joint or part of it, and then replace it with the proper equipment.

Many shoulder procedures can be done under a general anesthetic, and depending on the procedure patients can expect it to take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours for the entire process. Recovery times vary based on the type of surgery that was done to the shoulder. Simple repairs done with Arthroscopy are done on an outpatient basis, and patients will spend 1 or 2 hours in the recovery room. More involved procedures like joint replacement can have patients spending 1 or 2 nights in a medical facility.

Benefits
One major benefit of undergoing a shoulder procedure is being able to regain flexibility and mobility that was taken away due to an injury. Many patients are able to return to their active lifestyles after therapy, or even be able to live without taking pain medications for arthritis.

Cost
As with any surgical procedure, the cost is dependent on types of procedures done and the location of the surgery. Shoulder arthroscopy may cost up to $20,000 in the U.S., but visitors to India may pay 1/5th of that amount, while travelers to other locations such as Thailand or Brazil may enjoy savings of up to 80%.

Choosing a Surgeon
Finding the right surgeon to perform the procedure is a very important process. Be sure to research the surgeon’s history, and ask to see examples of their work. No matter where the surgery is done, medical facilities should be up to date and well maintained.

Surgeons both domestically and abroad should be certified and board-approved in their country of origin as well as belong to organizations or associations of orthopedic surgeons and provide services in approved facilities.

All surgeons should also have completed their requirements in order to receive their certificate, and have spent their allotted years in performing surgery. Their education also plays a part in choosing the best surgeon, aside from experience. Make sure they have a strong code of ethics and that patient needs are taken care of and questions are answered completely.