The truth is that the shoulder is relatively neglected compared to the knee. At every step the knee, even because of a simple tear of the meniscus, because it causes pain, leads us to immediately contact a specialist and try to find a solution. On the contrary, in the case of the shoulder, there are many small symptoms, innocent for the patient, but which can lead to serious diseases that, if neglected, are difficult to treat.

“These symptoms are related to simple daily activities, such as when we try to put on the car seat belt and we can no longer grab it easily, or when, for example, we have difficulty taking an object down from the kitchen shelf.

Also, especially in summer, we may find that in swimming, freestyle and especially backstroke, we do not perform them with the same ease, as we did e.g. last year, either because of a stiffness or a minor discomfort. The symptoms in question may hide diseases, such as the partial rupture of the supraspinatus, which is the most common condition to which we do not pay attention and unfortunately we reach the doctor too late, when the rupture is now large and complete and in several cases irreversible “, points out Mr. Ioannis Tsolos Orthopedic Director at Metropolitan Hospital.

How is the correct diagnosis made for these conditions?

“The correct diagnosis is related to whether these symptoms are recurrent. That is, if within a week they appear 3-4 times, it is enough of an indication to contact a specialist, and then very easily, with a clinical examination, the problem is identified. After all, the shoulder has this advantage, with a simple magnetic it is possible to diagnose.
Nowadays, we can treat a partial tear before it becomes complete with a simple arthroscopy, putting a camera on the back surface of the shoulder and only percutaneously, that is, outside the shoulder, with 2 holes, we pass special sutures and fix the tendon, giving the solution easily and quickly”, he explains.

How long does the whole process usually take?

In the hands of an experienced surgeon, because the shoulder needs specialized scientists who can treat these conditions, it literally does not take more than half an hour, since it is a bloodless method, with the patient entering the clinic in the morning and leaving the afternoon. In fact, while in the past one needed 6-9 months of rehabilitation, now within 3 or 4 months the patient returns to full activity.

What is the importance of robotic systems in carrying out such operations?

“First of all it is important, especially on the shoulder, to do the right placement, but even more important is to choose the right size of the materials to be placed. Unlike other joints, the shoulder has the disadvantage that the life of the materials is shorter. While it can reach the hip even 18 to 20 years and the knee 15 to 18 years, in the shoulder this period is limited, due to the complexity of the joint, and reaches up to 8 to 10 years.

For this reason, the process of maintaining the work we have done with our patient is extremely important. But the most crucial thing, as mentioned above, is to place the material correctly, and robotic systems help drastically with this. Already at the stage of pre-operative control, that is before the patient enters the operating room, we are able to know exactly where the material should be placed, thus increasing its lifespan, which is a big advantage”, he says.

New techniques on the shoulder as well

“Metropolitan Hospital is known to be the leading hospital in robotic hip and knee surgery. Now”, emphasizes the expert, “we apply the new techniques to the shoulder as well. Initially, we use navigation systems, i.e. semi-robotic systems, and in combination with the new method of reverse total arthroplasty, we achieve excellent results. This method is similar to those applied to the knee and hip. The new technology and modern methods that we apply in our clinic allow the optimal placement and the maximum life of the materials, offering our patients a better quality of life and greater safety.

Overall, the correct placement and use of robotic technology is a key factor in the success of the procedures and their long-term effectiveness.

In particular, the Metropolitan Hospital Orthopedic Clinic operates 24 hours a day. With the support of modern technology and the application of the most modern medical methods, it treats the entire spectrum of both urgent and chronic orthopedic diseases. All types of long bone fractures are treated with the intramedullary heliosis method.

At Department of Sports Injuries – Arthroscopy large and small joints are examined with modern means and video, while the Orthopedic Clinic treats all chronic degenerative joint diseases with the latest generation of arthroplasties.

The Department of Shoulder – Elbow & Sports Injuries of the Upper Extremityoffers all the specialized modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods for the rehabilitation of traumatic, degenerative and sports injuries to the shoulder and elbow. Most problems are successfully treated with the arthroscopic “keyhole surgery” method.

The human resources of the Orthopedic Clinic have great experience in the application of all modern techniques, in order to ensure the best choice of therapeutic method to deal with each case”, concludes Mr. Cholos.