Mending a Broken Shoulder

Injuries in and around the shoulders are common, especially amongts Athletes. Yet conventional methods of mending acromioclavicular join (ACJ) dislocations and fractures fail to provide a long lasting solution to the problem. In reponse to this, Dr. Lim Yeow Wai, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Raffles Orthopaedic Centre, developed a new Technique, Triple Endobutton, to counter this.

“The shoulder is very complex and unstable joint which can get injured easily. Many types of surgeries have been developed in the past to repair the bones and torn ligaments but outcomes are far from satisfactory.” explained Dr. Lim.

This is because current treatment methods employ fixation using metal implants which rigidly secure the two bones making up the ACJ. This often leads to failure because the joint is a flexible joint which can rise and rotate during movement. Furthermore, screws and pins are often ineffective because they usually work themselves loose after some time,
due to necessary movements in and around the shoulder area.

The Triple Endobutton technique, on the other hand, is non-rigid and allows for normal movement of the joint. All that is needed are three tiny stainless steel buttons and two strands of Fiberwire suture. The buttons can safely stay in the body for life. During the operation, the suture is looped through the button holes and over shoulders bone, allowing for fluid movements while stabilising the joint.

The entire surgery takes just 45 minutes under general anesthesia. So far, Dr. Lim has performed 11 such operations. Currently the Triple Endobutton technique is only performed in Singapore.