Rotator Cuff Repair surgery is performed when the tendons are severely injured, causing partial or complete rupture of the tendon. What is this surgery, and how is it done in Turkey?
There are several methods through which shoulder tendon repair is performed, including the use of modern shoulder arthroscopy, characterized as low-risk and highly safe with a high success rate and very few risks.
Whether the affected tendon is one of the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder or the tendon of the biceps muscle in the arm, surgery may be necessary to treat and repair the cut or rupture of the tendon, so what are the risks of shoulder tendon surgery, and what are the modern surgical techniques that are performed with their cost? Follow this article to answer these questions.
What is Rotator Cuff Repair surgery?
Rotator Cuff Repair surgery aims to repair moderate or severe tendon injuries. When you suffer from a tear in one of the tendons of your shoulder joint, you will feel pain with difficulty moving your shoulder freely, and here the need for surgery may appear to relieve these symptoms.
The tendon is a soft tissue that connects the muscles with the bones to ensure joint stability during movement. When you contract a muscle, the tendons pull the bone to allow the joint to move in a coordinated way.
Injury to the shoulder joint tendons is not rare because these tendons are responsible for a wide range of movements. They are used in most activities of the upper limb, which makes them one of the most vulnerable tendons to inflammation in the body. Shoulder Tendonitis Without treatment may progress to a tendon rupture.
The main goal of the surgery is to restore the ability to move the shoulder normally and relieve the pain the patient suffers from. This surgery is usually reserved as a last resort when other treatment methods fail to relieve symptoms, such as physical therapy or painkillers medications.
How to perform Rotator Cuff Repair surgery in Turkey?
The surgeon performs this surgery either by laparoscopy or traditional surgery, through which he can repair the damaged parts of the tendon and restore it. He may resort to implanting grafts from tendons taken from other body parts.
Arthroscopic rotator Cuff Repair surgery in Turkey
The shoulder Arthroscopy has many advantages when compared to traditional surgery, as it is a minimally invasive procedure with low risk and does not require large surgical incisions. In addition, the recovery period is not long, as the patient can return to his everyday life quickly after completing the procedure.
Shoulder arthroscopy allows the surgeon to obtain a clear view of the shoulder structures and tendons, which helps diagnose tendon injuries early.
The endoscope is a tube equipped with a lamp and a camera lens at the bottom connected to a video screen to display the images captured by the camera of the shoulder joint. After local anesthesia, the joint surgeon makes tiny holes not exceeding 0.5 cm in the skin, after which surgical tools and an endoscope are inserted through these holes. You can watch a video showing the process at Here.
In rupture of the rotator cuff tendons, the ruptured tendon is re-attached to the end of the head of the humerus bone in the arm. The ends of the ruptured tendon may be sutured and joined together. The surrounding tissues around the tendons are examined for damage to the blood vessels or nearby nerves. Still, when the rupture is partial and mild, The tendons of the joint may only need softening and debridement of the edges of the tendon.
Shoulder tendon repair by traditional surgery
Traditional surgery is the most appropriate option when the shoulder joint injury is complicated and mixed with other injuries. The operation is performed by incision a few centimeters above the shoulder. Then parts of the muscles around the shoulder are removed or separated to see the damaged tendon.
After that, the damaged tendon is repaired manually by attaching it to the end of the bone. The joint surgeon may suffice with debridement of the tendon, depending on the degree and severity of the tendon rupture.
For cases of severe and complete rupture of the tendons, which are known as irreparable ruptures, their treatment is more difficult, as a new method has recently appeared that involves implanting a graft taken from another area of the body, and the graft does not constitute a substitute for the severed tendon, but it performs a function similar to a large extent to the tendon, which relieves Symptoms of infection.
Post Rotator Cuff Repair surgery
Usually, the patient can return home after the surgery, and the anesthesia effect is gone on the same day. If he stays in the hospital, it is a precautionary measure for a short period to ensure that the procedure is free of any complications.
Feeling pain and discomfort is expected, as it is considered part of the recovery phase. The specialist doctor will prescribe some medications that help relieve pain, such as ibuprofen or other analgesics, according to your need.
The recovery time until the person can return to his daily activities may reach four months. This period may be longer or shorter according to the severity of the tendon damage and how the surgical procedure is performed, as endoscopy is associated with a shorter recovery period.
The shoulder joint may be stabilized by using a splint or brace during recovery because it accelerates wound healing and tendon healing. Of course, physical therapy and rehabilitation after shoulder tendon rupture surgery have a vital role in gradually restoring strength and flexibility.
Risks of Rotator Cuff Repair surgery
The surgery usually proceeds without problems or complications, mainly when it is performed with the latest methods under the supervision of a skilled doctor with experience in performing this type of surgery. However, medical interventions have a possibility of some complications, even if they are rare, including:
- Bleeding or infection at the incision site
- A scar forms in the surgical area
- Stiffness in the shoulder joint
- Post-surgery shoulder pain
- Recurrence of the injury and the failure for the tendon to heal, which leads to its rupture again
Cost of rotator Cuff Repair surgery in Turkey
The cost varies from one case to another according to the method by which the surgery will be performed and the severity of the damage to the tendons of the shoulder joint. When a tendon graft is needed, the cost is higher than if the surgery was limited to only debridement and softening of the tendon.
The cost of shoulder tendon surgery in Turkey ranges from about $5,000 and may reach up to $8,500 in severe and complex cases of tendon rupture, and this price remains much lower than in other countries. You can contact us for price details and to guide you to the best treatment centers in Turkey that Suit your condition.
In the end, the methods through which Rotator Cuff Repair surgery is performed have developed remarkably. The endoscope remains the preferred option because it is easy to perform, has little risk, and is not accompanied by extensive surgical scars compared to traditional surgery. Therefore, Turkey has worked to provide the latest types of shoulder endoscopes used. To diagnose and treat various diseases and problems, including shoulder tendon tears.
Sources: