Arthroscopic shoulder stabilisation 

Definition and indications

A shoulder is said to be unstable when it repeatedly dislocates during certain movements.
Dislocations are generally the consequences of primary traumas. Hyperlaxity may trigger instability.
The aim of shoulder stabilisation is to repair ligament damage and avoid repeated dislocation.
The operation is done with arthroscopic surgery.

Sequence and duration

Patients are hospitalised on the day of the operation.
The operation is carried out with interscalene catheter placement, more or less under general anaesthesia.
The procedure lasts around 1h30 and is done with shoulder arthroscopy, which uses 2 small 5-mm-sized incisions.

On the first post-operative day, patients start the programme of physiotherapy twice daily.
The interscalene catheter will be gradually removed.

The hospital stay is 3 nights / 4 days.

On returning home:
Change of dressings twice a week at the surgery of the treating physician or at the outpatient clinic.
No outpatient physiotherapy for one month.
Removal of the stitches 15 days after the operation at the surgery of the treating physician or at the outpatient clinic.
Next check-up at Dr Steve Brenn's surgery is 1 month postoperatively.

Result

The procedure helps stabilisation of the shoulder with generally a loss of around 10 degrees of external rotation.

Surgical risk

Infection: less than 0.5%
Stiffness: gentle physiotherapy or cessation of physiotherapy helps treatment.