The shoulder is a ball and socket joint that has a protective layer of cartilage (the labrum) that helps stabilize your shoulder by “deepening” the socket. If you’ve been diagnosed with a labral tear, then this “bumper” in your shoulder is damaged and may allow the ball-shaped humerus to slide out of its socket or to catch on the labrum. This is as painful as it sounds and severely limits your range of motion.

You’ll need surgery to relieve this pain and restore your shoulder movement. Arthroscopic labral repair is a minimally invasive surgical option that results in less risk of infection, less damage to tissue, less bleeding, less pain, and an overall shorter recovery time. But what exactly happens during arthroscopic shoulder labral repair?

What sort of pain relief will I receive for my shoulder surgery?

To “turn off” pain in your shoulder, your surgeon at ORTHOKnox will use nerve blocks, They usually last up to 72 hours after surgery. The disruption in your pain cycle also causes the pain to be reduced when it returns after that time.

You will be placed under general anesthesia during your surgery.

What is an arthroscope?

To begin the surgery, your surgeon will use an arthroscope to examine your shoulder joint. An arthroscope is a pencil camera that can be inserted through a tiny incision (about 5 mm) in your shoulder to allow your surgeon to examine your shoulder joint. With this camera, your surgeon can guide miniature instruments in your shoulder joint. A huge plus of this tiny camera and mini surgical tools is that it is minimally invasive and allows for a smaller incision.

What exactly will your surgeon do during labral repair surgery?

After inserting the arthroscope into the incision in the shoulder, your surgeon will remove any scar tissue and prepare the bone of the socket for reattachment. Your surgeon will apply suture anchors to repair your shoulder. The anchors will be inserted into small incisions in the bone. Then, they will add sutures to reattach the labrum to the bone. They hold the labrum in place and can be used to tighten the shoulder joint. Your labrum will heal around these sutures directly to the bone.

Your incisions will be stitched together and your shoulder will be wrapped when you wake up. Your nerve block will still be working for pain relief.

What happens after arthroscopic shoulder labral repair?

Your surgery will probably last about 1 hour. You will most likely be able to go home the same day. You will be given pain medication for when your nerve block wears off (usually after 72 hours), and you’ll need to wear a sling and ice your shoulder.

For shoulder rehabilitation, you will need to do physical therapy to restore your range of motion and strengthen your shoulder. Full recovery takes about 5 months. You’ll be back in action in no time!

Arthroscopic Shoulder Labral Repair in Knoxville, TX

ORTHOKnox offers both conservative treatments, including activity modification, rest, and physical therapy, and surgical treatments with arthroscopy for labral tears. With its board-certified surgeon, Dr. Hovis, and Orthopedic Urgent Care that is available without an appointment, ORTHOKnox has got you covered. For more information about how ORTHOKnox can treat your shoulder injury using arthroscopy, call (865) 251-3030, or fill out our easy-to-use online appointment request form. We look forward to hearing from you!