Friday, March 18, 2011

Shoulder Arthroscopy







This is the Shoulder surgery I had done last week here in Wenatchee, Washington, USA. These are a few magnified pics taken with the scope during surgery. The first shows the subscapular tear, which is the tendon coming across the front of the shoulder. The second shows the tool identifying the tear and the third shows the stitched and repaired area. The bicep tendon was also torn and had to be reattached with two Lupine Anchors which were drilled into the bone. These anchors are made of a biocomposite material which have a total bone absorption within 24 months. I don't think I can explain or even understand the procedure very well. The cost was $1892.00 per anchor and that is also something I don't understand either. I am sorry but I didn't have enough room or time to write the total cost of the procedure in this blog. After a week I'm recovering well it seems. It's still most difficult to get comfortable and sleep at night. My right shoulder was injured while lifting weights at my gym in London last fall. This is my 6 th sports related injury that has required surgery. I still have never even slightly been injured by falling off of a bar stool. We all live and learn don't we! When I die, I will leave my heirs instructions to remove and sell those anchors. With inflation, I'll bet that would buy me a hell of a pine box.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi about to consider surgery on my left shoulder similar to what you underwent and also caused by the same exercising. Can you tell me how much the whole proceedure costed. I am being quoted about 6500 euro.

Phil said...

$14,000 USD

Anonymous said...

Great pictorial view of shoulder arthroscopy. Thanks for sharing.