In recent years, the development of arthroscopic surgery has been rapid. Surgical techniques have greatly improved and the materials used are now far superior to those of the past. This results in optimal functional results and faster recovery.

What is a supraspinatus tendon tear?

The supraspinatus tendon is one of the most basic tendons of the shoulder joint. The rupture of the supraspinatus tendon is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. It’s either traumatic either degenerative etiology. It can occur after a fall, when the patient suddenly lifts a weight, or when he violently makes a movement with resistance.

Tendon rupture causes pain in the shoulder area, decrease in muscle strength and loss of smooth movement in the shoulder, resulting in the patient being either in pain or unable to perform simple daily movements such as combing, dressing and washing.

THE diagnosis of rotator cuff tear is made from the patient’s history, symptoms and clinical examination. During the clinical examination, shoulder range of motion and muscle strength are checked. During the clinical examination, the orthopedist performs specific tests with the aim of better determining the cause of the pain. Confirmation of the diagnosis is made with imaging tests, i.e magnetic resonance or him ultrasound of the shoulder girdle.

Supraspinatus Tendon Rupture and Surgical Treatment

Mr. Apostolos Stathellis MD, PhD states that “The complete rotator cuff tear it is not possible to heal automatically due to the continuous tension of the muscle in the opposite direction and the reduced perfusion of the area. The treatment of the tear depends on the size of the damage, the symptoms and the activity of the sufferer. In cases of larger ruptures, people who have more demands in daily or sports activities or in cases where conservative treatment does not have the desired effect, the arthroscopic suturing solves the problem.

Shoulder arthroscopy

During the surgery, the tendon is repositioned and fixed at the anatomical point from where it has been torn with special sutures. The operation has been done for many years now arthroscopically, that is, through small holes in the skin within a short period of about 45 minutes. The patient is discharged from the hospital the same day. The type and duration of postoperative rehabilitation depends on the size of the damage and the type of surgical treatment.

How is shoulder arthroscopy performed?

During the operation, a camera (arthroscope) is inserted into the joint through a small skin incision of a few millimeters. With the help of the camera, the internal structures of the joint are projected on a screen in color and magnified. In the above way, the orthopedic surgeon can check the anatomical elements of the shoulder within a few minutes and at the same time deal with possible damage with great surgical precision.

“Nowadays, shoulder arthroscopy is a routine operation, with which most intra-articular diseases of the shoulder are treated successfully, bloodlessly and in a minimum of time” says Mr. Apostolos Stathellis MD, PhD Orthopedic Surgeon-Sports Physician, Doctor of Ulm University, Germany, Supervisor of the 3rd Orthopedic Clinic of the hospital HEALTH.

The arthroscopic treatment of shoulder tendon ruptures is considered an extremely demanding operation and its success largely depends on the expertise and experience of the orthopedic surgeon.

Newer surgical techniques

In recent years, newer surgical techniques have been developed, which are used on a daily basis to treat ruptures of the shoulder tendons and especially the supraspinatus.

Some of them are:

• “Double row” stitching instead of “single row”

Increased contact surface of the suture with the bone and better healing
• “Diostial suturing” of the tendon
Avoiding the use of foreign materials, lower operation costs and better healing
• Reinforcement of the suture of the tendon either with a synthetic graft – “Patch” or with an autograft

• Tendon transferi.e. the transfer of another tendon to the place of the injured one
• Arthroscopic placement special bioabsorbable balloon “Balloon” for better function of the shoulder after suturing
• Infusion of biological agents PRPs and stem cells for the best possible healing

What are the advantages of newer techniques?

• Excellent stability of the tendon suture
• Better healing
• Minimal tissue injury
• Less postoperative pain
• Faster recovery of the patient
• Faster return to daily activities
• Better aesthetic result

stathellis