Rotator Cuff Repair

What is rotator cuff repair?

Rotator cuff repair is a surgical procedure in which your Los Angeles Orthopaedic Center specialist repairs or replaces tissues within the shoulder joint. Your rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles that surround and support your shoulder. 

The team at Los Angeles Orthopaedic Center offers laparoscopic and robotic procedures to maximize precision and accuracy with a low risk of complications. 

Is rotator cuff repair right for me?

To determine if rotator cuff repair is the right procedure for you, your provider discusses your symptoms and medical history. They examine your shoulder joint to evaluate its structure, range of motion, strength, and stability. Your specialist may suggest you complete blood tests, X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, or other imaging procedures.

Signs and symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include:

• Shoulder discomfort
• Dull, aching pain
• Sleeping problems
• Difficulty combing your hair
• Problems reaching behind your back
• Arm weakness
• Shoulder instability
• Decreased range of motion
• Swelling
• Stiffness

Risk factors for rotator cuff injuries include being older than age 60, construction jobs, repetitive arm motions or overhead reaching, and a family history of rotator cuff injuries.

How should I prepare for rotator cuff repair?

Follow your surgeon’s instructions prior to undergoing rotator cuff repair. Don’t smoke, arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure, stop taking certain medications as directed, and don’t eat or drink anything the morning of surgery if your specialist asks you to.

What happens during rotator cuff repair?

Right before rotator cuff surgery, your provider gives you anesthesia to numb the treatment area and a sedative to relax you or general anesthesia to make you fall asleep. Either way, you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. 

Your surgeon makes tiny incisions using specialized surgical tools or a robotic arm. They remove, repair, or replace damaged tissues within and surrounding your shoulder joint and close the incisions afterward.

What should I expect after the procedure?

After rotator cuff repair, you rest in a recovery room while providers monitor your vital signs. When you’re ready to go home, you wear a sling or shoulder immobilizer to restrict the range of motion in the shoulder joint. Get plenty of rest, take medications as directed, and keep the surgical site clean and dry. Ice the area as needed to reduce swelling.

During a follow-up visit, your provider removes any stitches or surgical staples. Attend physical therapy sessions as directed by your orthopaedic specialist to help regain flexibility, strength, and range of motion.

If you have severe or ongoing shoulder pain and want to find out if rotator cuff repair is right for you, schedule a consultation with Los Angeles Orthopaedic Center by phone or book online today.