Surgery is the last resort for a patient suffering from rotator cuff management.
Rotator cuff surgery is a major surgery that requires a six month period for rehabilitation.
The older method of surgery named as open rotator cuff repair involved considerable pain and left many scars after the surgery.
To reduce surgery related morbidity a newer method known as arthroscopic rotator cuff method was introduced.
This method is popular now.
This surgery is relatively better than the open method of rotator cuff repair and has shorter rehabilitation time.
The major reason for pain with the older method of surgery was the large incision made on the rotator muscles to reach the cuff tendon.
Arthroscopic rotator cuff method requires small incision in the shoulder.
The incision is usually 3-4 centimeters.
Through this incision thin cables carrying a tiny camera and surgical instruments are inserted.
A television monitor linked to the camera cable gives pictures of the rotator and the affected areas.
The surgeon performs arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery with greater ease by looking at the television monitor and manipulating the cables.
The surgeon may also make 3-4 incisions of one centimeter each to get access to a wider rotator cuff area.
Arthroscopic cuff method is preferred by surgeons as it leaves lesser scars on the body of the patient.
It also causes less pain and leaves the nearby tissues unaffected.
In the open rotator cuff method the nearby tissues and muscles got affected though the surgery yielded good results.
This danger is absent in arthroscopic rotator cuff method.
After the surgery a physiotherapist assists the patient in gaining back shoulder movement and strength.
The patient has to do the cuff strengthening exercises under the physiotherapist for months.