Operating room setup and patient positioning

Abstract

Arthroscopy has made it possible to define many of the known lesions related to shoulder disorders and to identify other, new ones. The surgeon must be familiar with these different lesions and with their surgical treatment. Although careful planning of an appropriate therapeutic procedure on the basis of clinical and instrumental examinations is crucial, the surgeon, faced with the arthroscopic diagnosis, is often required to use different techniques from those initially planned. In shoulder arthroscopy, the ideal setup is therefore one that is versatile enough to allow the execution of different surgical procedures. Achievement of this objective depends on careful planning and preparation of the instrumentation. The surgical team, the anesthesiologist, and the operating room staff all play a part in setting up the operating room: only through teamwork is it possible to ensure optimization of complex and versatile surgical procedures.