Lateral Patient Positioning for Shoulder Arthroscopy
Liam A. Peebles; Zachary S. Aman; Matthew T. Provencher, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy or arthroscopic shoulder stabilization procedures can be performed with the patient in the beach chair or lateral decubitus (LD) position. Patient positioning may be dictated by surgeon preference or the specific intended procedure; however, LD setup has been found to result in lower rates of recurrent instability in cases of anterior arthroscopic stabilization procedures. The lateral and axial traction provided by the LD setup allows for lower suture anchor placement on the anterior-inferior aspect of the glenoid, as the surgeon has increased visualization and working room within the glenohumeral joint.
Prior to placing the patient in the LD position, meticulous care must be taken to properly position the beanbag device and set up the lateral traction device. Next, a coordinated team approach should be used to roll the patient into the LD position and to ensure that all bony prominences are adequately padded. The shoulder is then placed in 40° of abduction, 20° of forward flexion, with 10–15 pounds of balanced traction. Finally, the shoulder is prepped and draped in the usual sterile fashion and the surgeon is then able to proceed with the necessary arthroscopic procedure.
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.
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