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Paralabral cyst... any experience? Would you have surgery?

Posted , 3 users are following.

erik74766
erik74766

Hi all,

Been debating whether or not to undergo surgery on my dominant shoulder.

Shoulder has been bugging me for a decade (I'm 33) from an old weightlighting injury. I also had a grade 3 separation at the AC joint 1.5 years ago (no surgery). The key here, is that the shoulder is not that bad. Not painful day-to-day, occasionally sore after weightlifting. usually quite tight, particularly through my armpit and upper chest. I have also noticed some atrophy - specifically, part of my deltoid has fully disappeared. It was annoying enough that I got an MRI.

MRI shows a small labral tear, with a 5cm cubed paralabral cyst directly over my suprascapular nerve. Docs want to remove the cyst and fix the labral tear arthroscopically.

Here is my problem... that would mean having surgery with a long recovery for something that is causing me limited pain to date (although some discomfort/tightness and visible atrophy). Further, the suprascapular nerve powers the infraspinatus and supraspinatus, whereas the axillary nerve powers the deltoid. That makes me skeptical that the surgery will fix the deltoid atrophy. Reading a lot about how annoying labral surgery is has me questioning whether it's worth it. What would you do?

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • barbara66703
    barbara66703 erik74766

    Edited

    Hello Erik... Ever surgery has risks.... pluses and minuses. Your very young and healing would certainly be easier now than when older. It's a chance you take either way.. risk injuring the area worse by not repairing it now , as the cyst grows larger and cause issue latter, or get it done and over with and move on. Eventually it will be what you decide.

  • erik74766
    erik74766

    Posted

    Thanks Barbara, appreciate your response - not sure if it will get bigger necessarily? Or is that a guarantee?

    Anyone else have thoughts? The idea of surgery with limited pain is still spooking me

  • erik74766
    erik74766

    Posted

    Update here: Another doctor suggest that I just decompress the SSN by snipping the transverse scapular ligament. Anyone had experience with this?

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