A painful shoulder that affects your ability to use your arm can have a serious impact on both your home life and your job. David N. Feldman, MD, of Active Joints Orthopedics in Englewood, New Jersey, is a highly respected, pioneering orthopedic surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive joint surgery including shoulder arthroscopy. Dr. Feldman can provide expert diagnosis and the most advanced treatments for your problem shoulder, so call Active Joints Orthopedics today, or book an appointment online.
Shoulder arthroscopy is a surgical procedure that Dr. Feldman performs to assess the cause of pain in your shoulder joint and repair any damaged tissues.
An arthroscope is a flexible tube with a miniaturized camera at the end that Dr. Feldman passes through a small incision in your skin. Arthroscopy is a less invasive form of surgery that avoids the need for making large incisions.
Dr. Feldman may recommend shoulder arthroscopy if you have conditions such as:
Dr. Feldman only recommends shoulder arthroscopy if other forms of treatment aren’t yielding results, or in cases where surgery is the best option.
To prepare for shoulder arthroscopy, you receive either a general anesthetic or local anesthesia in your shoulder, combined with a sedative to keep you relaxed and sleepy. Either way, you won’t feel any pain during the operation.
Dr. Feldman makes a small incision in your shoulder and inserts the arthroscope. He can see the internal tissues of your shoulder via a monitor that receives a feed from the camera on the end of the arthroscope.
The images on the screen enable him to determine where repairs are necessary. He makes more small incisions to accommodate specially designed instruments he uses to carry out the repairs.
There are a variety of techniques Dr. Feldman can use to repair damaged tissues, including:
When the repairs are complete, Dr. Feldman closes the incisions with stitches and covers them with a dressing to keep the wound clean and protected.
After the initial recovery period, Dr. Feldman arranges physical therapy to rebuild strength and mobility in the affected shoulder.
If you have a shoulder problem that requires surgery, Dr. Feldman has the skills and experience to carry out the procedure safely and with optimal results. Call Active Joints Orthopedics today, or book an appointment online.