At Home with Chris Jessen 2018 - 160

PROMOTION

Give pain

the cold
shoulder

Pioneering keyhole surgery techniques could release you
from the prison of pain caused by serious shoulder issues

S

houlder pain is extremely
common and it's estimated that
it's responsible for more than
four million sick days in the UK
every year. However, pain and stiffness
don't just affect your ability to work.
They can affect your enjoyment of
sports, life in general, playing with your
children, and even your ability to get
a good night's sleep.
In the first instance, you should try
and treat shoulder pain with simple
measures - for example, avoiding any
activities that make the pain worse
(particularly overhead activities), and
taking over-the-counter painkillers
and anti-inflammatory medication. If
symptoms persist, it's important to see
a specialist with experience in dealing
with shoulder problems.

A major culprit

The rotator cuff (a group of tendons
inside the shoulder) is one of the most
common causes of shoulder pain.
Symtoms can occur due to overuse,
impingement (squashing of the tendon
by a bony spur), or a physical injury.
When non-operative treatment of
the shoulder is unsuccessful, keyhole
surgery is an excellent option. It is
associated with very high patient
satisfaction rates and most patients
undergoing a repair of a rotator cuff
tear will get excellent improvement
in movement and reduction of pain.

Choose the right surgeon

If you are considering undergoing
surgery for your shoulder, one of the
most important decisions is finding the
right surgeon. The reality for most
patients is that their GP refers them

to their closest hospital and they end up
seeing a surgeon picked at random by
an administrator. However, even in the
NHS, patients are entitled to choose
the surgeon and hospital that will
provide their treatment - so ask your
GP for advice about getting to see the
surgeon of your choice.
It's an idea to research individual
surgeon's websites to help you make an
informed decision about who to choose.
Many specialists still perform openshoulder surgery (a large cut is made in

KEYHOLE SURGERY
IS AN EXCELLENT
OPTION AND IS
ASSOCIATED WITH
VERY HIGH PATIENT
SATISFACTION RATES
the skin). However, modern techniques,
using keyhole surgery, are preferable
because the risk of infection is extremely
small and the recovery can be very
quick. Don't be afraid to ask your
surgeon about how many rotator-cuff
repairs they perform a year. As with all
walks of life, practise makes perfect and
those surgeons performing this type of
surgery on a weekly basis are likely to
achieve better results than those who
perform the surgery infrequently. Finally,
some tendon tears can be too big to
repair, so it's important to make sure
that your surgeon is able to adequately
deal with this situation should it arise.
Professor Saithna offers InSpace
Balloon and Superior Capsule
Reconstruction as advanced surgical

MEET THE EXPERT
Professor Adnan
Saithna is an
internationally
recognised
consultant
orthopaedic
surgeon,
specialising in
arthroscopic
(keyhole) sports injury, knee and
shoulder surgery. Recently, his
work has received awards from the
Arthroscopy Association of North
America and the British Orthopaedic
Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy
Association.
Professor Saithna provides an expert
opinion to deliver the best solution for
each patient's specific circumstances
in an efficient and caring manner. He is
based at Renacres Private Hospital and
Southport and Ormskirk NHS hospitals,
serving Merseyside and Lancashire.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of At Home with Chris Jessen 2018
