Download the Shoulder Surgery Patient's Guide

Arthroscopy: Using tiny incisions and a special camera, our surgeons can remove loose cartilage, bone fragments, and bone spurs to relieve pain and restore motion. If you have a bone disease or arthritis, doctors often can use this procedure to get a good look at the bone lining to better understand what may be happening.

Superior capsular reconstruction shoulder surgery: Rotator cuff tears are one of the most common and problematic shoulder injuries, and some injuries cannot be repaired with traditional surgical methods. Hundreds of patients in the Rochester area suffer from these irreparable rotator cuff injuries each year, enduring pain and risking permanent loss of mobility and function of their shoulder joints. When the rotator cuff tears, the shoulder motion is compromised because torn tendons cannot stabilize the ball in the socket of the shoulder joint.

Until recently, these patients’ only option was removal of the shoulder joint and implantation of an artificial shoulder joint – reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

Superior capsular reconstruction is a relatively new surgical procedure introduced to Rochester by UR Medicine orthopaedic surgeons.  Michael Maloney, M.D., and Ilya Voloshin, M.D. have performed this procedure with success on many patients in the Rochester area since 2015 with very promising results.

Superior capsular reconstruction is performed arthroscopically, through small incisions in the patient’s shoulder. The surgeon drills small holes in bone to anchor a “patch” (made from the patient’s own tendon or a dermal allograft) to fix instability of the shoulder joint caused by a rotator cuff tear. Following surgery, the patient undergoes a course of physical therapy and rehabilitation to regain range of motion, strength, and flexibility. 

Multidirectional Shoulder Instability Repair: In many cases, arthroscopic surgery can be used to tighten the stretched ligaments in an injured shoulder. You may need more complex surgery if the injuries affect your day-to-day activities.

Nerve Decompression: This minimally invasive procedure may be performed to relieve the pain of a pinched or trapped nerve in the arm or shoulder.

Posterior Shoulder Instability Repair: In many cases, arthroscopic surgery can be used to tighten the stretched ligaments in an injured shoulder. After the procedure, patients begin a physical therapy and rehabilitation program that continues for several months.

Shoulder Impingement Surgery: The surgeon makes two to three tiny incisions and removes the front edge of the acromion, the bone at the top of your shoulder. He or she also may remove some of the tissue of the bursa, the small sac that allows the rotator cuff tendons to move freely. After surgery, you will wear a sling until you are ready to begin physical therapy. You can expect to regain strength and range of motion in two to four months.

SLAP Bicep Tear Repair: A tear in the labrum—the ring of strong tissue around your shoulder socket—can be repaired using arthroscopy. Working through two tiny incisions, the surgeon may remove the torn section of the labrum, or he or she may reattach the torn part using stitches. Following surgery, you will use a sling for two to four weeks before beginning physical therapy. You can expect to return to your accustomed activities in three to four months.

Arthroscopy: Using tiny incisions and a special camera, our surgeons can remove loose cartilage, bone fragments, and bone spurs to relieve pain and restore motion. If you have a bone disease or arthritis, doctors often can use this procedure to get a good look at the bone lining to better understand what may be happening.

Elbow Reconstruction: Using a tendon graft from your arm or leg (or from a donor), the surgeon replaces the torn ligament.

Elbow Replacement: A serious injury to your elbow may lead to replacement of the joint, especially if several bones have shattered. If your elbow becomes dislocated frequently, it may be a sign that the ligaments are not working properly, another condition that may be corrected with elbow replacement.