What operations are performed on the shoulder joint?

There are a large number of operations that are performed on the shoulder joint. In the following, the most common operations are discussed in more detail with regard to the surgical techniques and their indication. 1 Arthroscopy of the shoulder joint Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that can serve both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

An endoscope (arthroscope) is inserted through small incisions (athrotomies). Shoulder arthroscopy is a very common procedure, as it can be used to treat many diseases of the shoulder. Standard applications include shoulder mobilization (arthrolysis), acromioclavicular resection, calcification removal, reconstruction or dislocation of the long biceps tendon, shoulder stabilization and rotator cuff reconstruction.

The acromion is also extended arthroscopically (subacromial decrompession). Not only the shoulder joint is treated arthroscopically, but also the acromioclavicular joint (acromio-clavicular joint), the subacromial bursa (bursa under the acromion) and muscle tendons, such as the long biceps tendon. The advantage of arthroscopy is that the wounds are comparatively small.

In addition, joint structures can also be assessed under dynamic conditions, i.e. in motion. 2 Open surgery on the shoulder Severe injuries to the shoulder, pronounced shoulder instability, calcifications or very pronounced tendon inflammation may necessitate open surgery on the shoulder. This includes all major operations such as artificial shoulder joint replacement after serious accidents or extreme degenerative changes.

But also a tendon removal, tenotomy, can be performed openly. If the shoulder “cracks” or “crunches”, this can have various causes, which do not always include injury or disease. Possible causes for a cracking of the shoulder are listed below.1st impingement The impingement syndrome is the painful incarceration of the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle.

This leads to movement-induced pain. A crackling and crunching may be audible. 2 Degenerative and inflammatory changes in the shoulder joint These include, for example, bursitis or tendinosis calcarea.

There may be cracking noises that are associated with pain. 3 Injuries to the acromioclavicular joint The acromioclavicular joint is the acromioclavicular joint and is located between the collarbone and the acromion, a bony process of the shoulder blade. Injuries to the joint, such as those caused by an accident, lead to pain and a clearly audible crackling of the shoulder.

A joint instability of the shoulder, which can be the result of insufficient movement of the shoulder muscles or incorrect overloading, can cause a cracking of the shoulder. What should you do in the case of a cracking shoulder? As long as there are no further complaints, such as pain, you can initially rest easy. The shoulder cracking can then usually be eliminated by physiotherapy and physiotherapy exercises. A doctor can determine the exact cause of the shoulder cracking with the help of diagnostic procedures such as MRI or X-rays and then determine an individual therapy with the affected person.