Shoulder Arthrolysis
Shoulder arthrolysis is a minimally invasive procedure to improve the range of movement at your shoulder joint. It’s often used to treat a condition called frozen shoulder.
At a glance
- Paediatric Patients Aged 12-18 Seen
What is shoulder arthrolysis?
A healthy shoulder joint has a flexible, loose joint capsule that surrounds it, allowing you to move your shoulder freely, without any pain or restriction.
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) occurs when the joint capsule develops scar tissue. Over time, the capsule begins to thicken, tighten, and become inflamed, causing pain, stiffness, and loss of movement.
Shoulder arthrolysis is a procedure used to treat frozen shoulder by removing scar tissue. At Welbeck, shoulder arthrolysis surgery is carried out in our state-of-the-art Surgery Centre.
Paediatrics
We offer appointments to paediatric patients aged 12 to 18. For full information on our paediatrics service, please visit our main Paediatrics page.
More information
At Welbeck, shoulder arthrolysis is a keyhole procedure carried out under general anaesthetic by our consultant orthopaedic surgeons.
During the procedure, your orthopaedic surgeon will:
Make several small cuts into your shoulder.
Insert an arthroscope (a small tube with a camera and light to help guide your surgeon).
Release and remove any scar tissue inside your shoulder joint using tiny instruments in the arthroscope.
Close the wound with adhesive strips and apply a bandage.
Shoulder arthrolysis takes around 1 hour. You’ll recover in our outpatient clinic until the anaesthetic has worn off. You’ll be able to go home once it has.
Shoulder arthrolysis surgery is very safe, but as with all surgical procedures, it can cause some side effects, such as:
scarring
infection
a fracture
damage to the surrounding nerves or blood vessels
Preparation for shoulder arthrolysis surgery varies from person to person. Your consultant will give you all the details you need before your procedure, including how long you need to fast for.
If you’re a smoker, you’ll be asked to stop smoking for some time before your surgery takes place. This is because it delays healing and increases the risk of a chest or wound infection.
You’ll need to be monitored for a few hours after your procedure, but once the anaesthetic has worn off, you’ll be able to go home.
It’s a good idea to organise for someone to pick you up and drop you home. You’ll also need regular physiotherapy for several months, which can help improve the range of movement at your shoulder joint. Your consultant will explain all of this to you in the run-up to your procedure.
Please contact our Surgery Centre for pricing information.
At Welbeck, our orthopaedic surgeons are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.
With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.
All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.
To book a shoulder arthrolysis, you must be referred by either your GP or an orthopedist following a consultation with them. Self-referrals are not accepted for this treatment.
If you would like to schedule a consultation with an orthopedist, please get in touch to make an appointment. Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.
Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.
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Frequently asked questions
You’ll be put under general anaesthetic for shoulder arthrolysis surgery, which means you’ll be asleep and won’t feel any pain. As the anaesthetic wears off after your procedure, our specialist staff will keep you comfortable with pain medication. Your consultant will also talk you through how to manage pain at home as your shoulder joint heals.
It can take up to 6 months for your shoulder joint to completely heal after surgery, with pain and swelling lasting for several weeks. Gentle exercises guided by a physiotherapist will need to be started right away, which can help increase shoulder movement and strength. Your consultant may also recommend wearing a sling for the first 1 to 2 weeks after surgery.
You may need to be signed off work with a frozen shoulder, especially if your work involves manual tasks, heavy lifting, or repetitive movements. How much time off you’ll need depends on how severe your symptoms are and the advice of your consultant or physiotherapist.
A frozen shoulder can usually be diagnosed by talking to a specialist about your symptoms and through a physical exam. Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or MRI scan, can rule out other problems that may be causing your shoulder pain and stiffness.