Overview

Mayo Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Surgery offers focused, specialty care for people with shoulder and elbow conditions, at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota.

Highly specialized surgical expertise in all shoulder and elbow conditions

  • Shoulder surgery
    • Shoulder replacement
    • Rotator cuff tears
    • Instability and sports injuries
    • Fractures and other injuries
    • Joint preservation for arthritis
    • Scapular disorders
  • Elbow surgery
    • Elbow replacement
    • Elbow arthroscopy
    • Sports injuries
    • Fractures and other injuries

Why contact Shoulder and Elbow Surgery?

Mayo Clinic shoulder and elbow surgeons offer specialized expertise that uniquely combines large surgical volumes with cutting-edge technology.

  • Experience and surgical volume. Mayo Clinic evaluates one of the largest numbers of patients with complex shoulder and elbow conditions nationally or internationally, which results in an immense level of experience in these issues.
  • Evidence based. Mayo Clinic shoulder and elbow surgeons are intimately involved in research that translates directly into contemporary patient care.
  • Individualized. Each patient coming to Mayo Clinic is unique. Our resources allow us to provide individualized care tailored to each person's need.
  • Cutting-edge technology. From mixed reality and robotics to point-of-care 3D printing of the skeleton, Shoulder and Elbow Surgery is at the forefront of technology and innovation.
  • Multidisciplinary. When you come to Mayo Clinic for your shoulder or elbow condition, many other specialties are involved as needed to assess your overall health, review imaging studies, and provide the best possible pain control and anesthesia techniques when surgery is needed.
  • Implant design. Our experts are intimately involved in the design of implants and instruments used for various shoulder and elbow surgical procedures.

Mayo Clinic's approach to shoulder replacement

If you need shoulder replacement surgery, Mayo Clinic is ideal for you:

  • Comprehensive evaluation. Our shoulder surgeons will provide you with the best recommendations regarding whether to proceed with surgery and the style of replacement to consider, anatomic or reverse.
  • Pain control. Though an intimate collaborative approach with Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, a combination of regional blocks and pumps and multimodal analgesia translates into a comfortable surgical experience.
  • The best implant for you. As implant designers, our surgeons have a unique understanding of which implants are best for your specific needs.
  • Bone preservation at the forefront. From use of stemless humeral implants to implementation of bone-preserving glenoid components, advances in implant design allow preservation of the precious bone in the shoulder.
  • Technology in the operating room. Execution of the surgical plan is aided by computer-based planning, patient-specific guides, point-of-care 3D printing, mixed reality guidance and robotic surgery.
  • Same-day surgery. Pain control, one-hour individualized physical therapy sessions and dedicated patient education resources allow most patients to leave Mayo Clinic on the same day as the procedure.

Key strengths for rotator cuff tears at Mayo Clinic

Tears of the rotator cuff are very common and vary widely. These are key features of our approach to such tears:

  • Surgery only when needed. Many rotator cuff tears may be managed without surgery. Targeted injections guided with ultrasound and a dedicated physical therapy program can be enough for many patients.
  • Advanced arthroscopic repair techniques. Minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques allow our shoulder experts to repair even very extensive tears.
  • Tendon transfers, superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) and reverse replacement. For rotator cuff tears that cannot be repaired, unique tendon transfers have been developed at Mayo Clinic to complement other procedures such as SCR and reverse replacement. Our shoulder surgeons have expertise with all three.

Shoulder joint preservation at Mayo Clinic: When and how

Joint replacement is required for many but not all arthritic shoulder joints. At Mayo Clinic, we have developed expertise with advanced arthroscopic procedures that remove bone spurs and inflamed tissue so that the limitations and possible complications of joint replacement can be avoided. Contact us to inquire about whether you are a candidate for an arthroscopic osteocapsular arthroplasty.

Shoulder and elbow sports injuries at the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center

Through experience caring for athletes at all levels, from weekend warriors to high school and college athletes and professional teams such as the Timberwolves and Twins, Mayo Clinic surgeons have developed unique insight to get sports players back to their games successfully. Shoulder dislocations, labral tears, biceps tears, medial ulnar collateral ligament tears and other sports injuries can be assessed and managed at our state-of-the-art Sports Medicine Center.

Shoulder and elbow fracture care at Mayo Clinic

When bad fractures happen, Mayo Clinic is here for you. Fractures of the collarbone, arm bone (humerus) and scapula can compromise shoulder function. Whether you just experienced a fracture or your first fracture surgery did not go well, collaboration between Orthopedic Trauma Surgery and Shoulder and Elbow Surgery will provide the care you need.

Scapular disorders

Conditions affecting the shoulder blade require a level of expertise that is seldom found at places other than Mayo Clinic. Periscapular pain and muscle disorders around the scapula may require certain tendon transfers specifically developed at our institution.

Elbow arthroscopy: Mayo Clinic pioneers, still at the cutting edge

Modern elbow arthroscopy was developed at Mayo Clinic in an effort to expand the use of minimally invasive elbow surgery from initial simple procedures to extremely advanced procedures. Today, Mayo Clinic can offer elbow arthroscopic procedures for stiffness, arthritis, tennis elbow and other conditions.

Elbow replacement: Mayo Clinic experience and innovation

Advances in the design and techniques for implantation of elbow replacements provide confidence in this procedure. Mayo Clinic has been at the forefront of elbow arthroplasty procedures for decades, and it is recognized as a center of excellence for elbow replacement nationally and internationally for both primary and revision procedures.

A team approach to care for the whole person

Mayo Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Surgery uses an integrated practice model that coordinates care across multiple specialties and subspecialties even when the primary focus is orthopedic. This team approach provides a thorough evaluation with well-rounded treatment recommendations to enhance function and restore quality of life.

You'll receive a comprehensive consultation that includes evaluation by multiple specialists to assess any related or peripheral concerns prior to determining the best treatment approach for your specific condition. Your team will recommend a treatment plan that's specific to your individual needs and goals.

During your consultation you'll likely meet an orthopedic specialist and others in response to your specific concerns. You may also complete diagnostic or imaging studies such as X-ray, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound or electromyography (EMG). Other teams commonly involved in your care include physical therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Radiology and Anesthesia.

Podcasts

How Mayo Clinic is advancing surgical practice

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report.