What is Shoulder Decompression Surgery?

As far as shoulder pain goes, the culprit is generally a rotator cuff injury. However, when you're experiencing shoulder pain with limited motion, popping noises, and/or grinding when you move your shoulder the cause is often an A-C joint injury.

An A-C joint injury refers to the injury (likely bursitis and/or arthritis) of the acromioclavicular joint. This injury is confirmed using an arthroscope. Through tiny punctures, these common A-C joint injuries are confirmed. In other cases, men and women in Encino experiencing shoulder pain may be suffering from Subacromial Impingement. These men and women were often born with a "hooked" acromion which puts them at greater risk of impingement, which is essentially another way of saying, "pinching."

When the A-C joint is injured, either as the result of genetics, or from an injury, several things may occur. These include the development of bone spurs, which then decreases the amount of space between the acromiom and the rotator cuff. This may necessitate Shoulder Decompression Surgery.

What is Shoulder Decompression Surgery?

Shoulder Decompression Surgery is also known as Arthroscopic Subacromial Decompression (ASD). ASD Surgery involves the use of a small camera to view the subacromial region. If the problem is simply stemming from a bone spur (calcium deposit), expert orthopedic surgeon in Encino, Dr. Silver, will remove the spur, thus releasing the pinching/impingement. In other cases, small tears may have developed in the rotator cuff as the result of the bone spurs, so during this arthroscopy, Dr. Silver will also repair the damage to the rotator cuff.

What is a Distal Claviculecty?

A Distal Claviculecty, is also known as a Distal Clavicle Excision. This surgery is performed when the A-C joint is severely injured, to the point that the clavicle (end of the collar bone) needs to be shaved down to reduce pinching/impingement in the shoulder.

Recovering from Shoulder Decompression Surgery or Distal Clavicle Excision?

Studies show that shoulder decompression surgery will alleviate pain for the overwhelming majority of patients. Moreover, Dr. Silver, founder of Silver Orthopedics in Encino favors arthroscopic surgery versus open surgery, wherever possible. Because arthroscopic surgery uses small incisions, versus a larger incision, scarring is reduced, the risk of infection is reduced, and recovery times are often expedited. In the days following shoulder surgery, those who have arthroscopic surgery generally have far less pain than those who have open surgery. Complications from these types of orthopedic surgeries are uncommon, and most patients recover fully within six months.

If you are experiencing pain, popping, or grinding in your shoulder, schedule an appointment to see an expert Encino Orthopedic Surgeon. Dr. Silver, Founder of Silver Orthopedics in Encino has performed tens of thousands of orthopedic surgeries. Contact Silver Orthopedics in Encino at 818- 784-9593 to schedule an appointment.