Minimally invasive shoulder surgery for rotator cuff tears and labral injuries. Most repairs are done arthroscopically, reattaching torn tissue so the shoulder can regain strength and stability.
The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that lift and rotate the shoulder. A tear can cause pain, weakness, and trouble reaching overhead. When a repair is appropriate, the torn tendon is reattached to the bone arthroscopically. Not every cuff tear needs surgery; many improve with therapy and time, and we will tell you honestly which situation you are in.
The labrum is a rim of cartilage that deepens the shoulder socket and anchors ligaments. A Bankart tear from a dislocation can leave the shoulder unstable; a SLAP tear involves the top of the labrum. Arthroscopic repair reattaches the labrum to restore stability, and the approach is tailored to the pattern of injury and your activity.
Rotator cuff tears are far more common than most people realize, and many cause no symptoms at all. Their prevalence climbs steadily with age: in imaging studies of people without shoulder pain, tears were found in roughly 13% of those in their 50s, 20% in their 60s, 31% in their 70s, and about half of those over 80. A tear on your MRI is not, by itself, proof that surgery is needed.
When a repair is the right choice, it reliably improves pain and function. The honest nuance is structural healing: not every repaired tendon heals fully to the bone. Retear rates rise with tear size, roughly quadrupling as an initial tear grows from about one to three centimeters, and across studies the average retear rate is near 27% at two years, higher for massive tears. The reassuring part is that even when imaging shows a retear, most patients still improve substantially over where they started, though those whose repair heals intact tend to do best. This is exactly why tear size, tissue quality, and timing drive the decision, and why not every cuff tear should be rushed to surgery.
Shoulder repairs are protected in a sling early on, followed by a staged physical therapy program to restore motion and then strength. Timelines depend on the repair. See rotator cuff repair and Bankart repair post-op instructions.
No. Rotator cuff tears become common with age and many cause no symptoms, found in imaging studies in about 13% of people in their 50s rising to roughly half of those over 80. Many symptomatic tears improve with physical therapy, activity changes, and injections. Surgery is considered when symptoms persist or the tear is the kind that benefits from repair.
It depends mostly on tear size and tissue quality. Retear rates roughly quadruple as a tear grows from about one to three centimeters, and across studies average near 27% at two years, higher for massive tears. Importantly, most patients still improve substantially even when imaging shows a retear, though repairs that heal intact tend to do best.
The labrum is cartilage that deepens the shoulder socket. A Bankart tear follows a dislocation and can cause instability; a SLAP tear involves the top of the labrum. Arthroscopic repair reattaches it to restore stability.
Most rotator cuff and labral repairs are done arthroscopically, through small incisions with a camera, which usually means less pain than open surgery.
New patients across Milwaukee are welcome. To request an appointment, email us at the address below and we will follow up to get you scheduled.
This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Whether a procedure is right for you is a decision made with your surgeon after an evaluation. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.
Wichman Orthopedics