Advantages and Contraindication

Advantages:

Diagnosis – usually achieved with history, examination and non-invasive imaging. Shoulder arthroscopy is helpful in identifying the undiagnosed painful shoulder, complex instability and partial cuff tears.

Treatment – most shoulder conditions can now be treated arthroscopically. In the correct hands, the results are now comparable and sometimes better than open surgery.

Disadvantages:

Inability to dissect in layers and therefore a potential for neurovascular damage.

Contraindication:

Infection at site of portals
Severe arthritis
Lack of appropriate instrumentation