Debridement
Shoulder debridement is a procedure that clears a shoulder joint of damaged tissues and bone spurs. It is usually the first step of a rotator cuff surgery, so the injury can be seen to its full extent. It can be done as an open procedure (incising the selected area), or as an arthroscopic procedure, where a few small incisions allow the surgeons to perform the surgery via camera. By itself, debridement allows for an increase in motion (limited by bone spurs etc.), and also relieves pain that patients may be having. Unlike rotator cuff surgery, debridement typically takes less time to recover from. However, recovery includes extensive physical therapy similar to rotator cuff surgery.