Shoulder Arthroscopy (Cadaver)
Patrick Vavken, MD1; Sabah Ali2
1Smith and Nephew Endoscopy Laboratory
2University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Shoulder arthroscopy is one of the most common procedures performed in orthopaedic surgery. It can be utilized to identify various pathologies including rotator cuff tears, degenerative arthritis, subacromial impingement, and proximal humeral fractures. With continued advancement in arthroscopy, patients benefit from smaller incisions, reduced risk of postoperative complications, and faster recovery compared to open surgery.
Shoulder arthroscopy is performed either in the lateral decubitus position or in the beach chair position (BCP) as seen in this video. The BCP provides greater benefits such as decreased neovascularization during portal placement, fewer cases of neuropathies, and reduced surgical time. In addition to position, there are various portals used in shoulder arthroscopy, with the posterior portal being the most common and used in this video. Complication rates from shoulder arthroscopy are low but include shoulder stiffness, iatrogenic tendon injury, and vascular injury. Therefore, proper patient selection, patient positioning, and appropriate portal selection are essential for successful shoulder arthroscopy. This article discusses shoulder arthroscopy and demonstrates the technique on a cadaver shoulder.