In-Office Needle Arthroscopy for Superior Labral Tear Debridement

SLAP tears are a common cause of shoulder pain in overhead athletes. The benefits of in-office nanoarthroscopy include the ability to diagnosis and treat biceps tendinopathy, quicker patient recovery, reduced health care costs, and improved patient satisfaction. This technique can be particularly advantageous in the management of SLAP tears given that magnetic resonance imaging has poor sensitivity without the use of an invasive arthrogram. The purpose of this technical report is to describe our technique for performing in-office nano-arthroscopy for SLAP tears with special consideration of the technique for obtaining adequate local anesthesia, proper indications, and adequate visualization, as well as the advantages of performing these procedures in the office rather than the operating room.