Rotator Cuff Surgery

[Dino]

I have seen the swivel lock and other anchors when the supraspinatus tendon is released from the bone.  If the tendon is off the bone then it cannot heal so they have to compress it down.  If this is the case there are very few options I'm afraid.  The supraspinatus is the muscle on top of your shoulder that originates at the top of your shoulder blade, close to the spine and inserts on the humeral head, your upper arm bone.  This muscle is mostly responsible for lifting your arm away from your side.  It also helps with other lifting motions but that's its main one.  Is this where you have the most pain?   

The problem here is not just the one muscle but now you have three others pulling the head of the humerus while one of four is not and that can cause a whole host of issues later on.  You need an antagonist for your agonist.  Look up muscle pictures, or better yet drawings, of the rotator cuff so you can see how the muscle fibers run.  By looking at those you can imagine how they contract as they go in the direction of the fibers.  There are four muscles at work here:  the supraspinatus on top which abducts the arm, the teres minor that adducts the arm (brings it back to the body) and this also rotates your arm out.  The subscapularis you cannot see or feel but it rotates the arm back in and then there's the infraspinatus which also rotates the arm out.  They all compliment each other and keep the humerus snug in the glenoid cavity of the scapula. 

With any case like this, get a second opinion.  A good surgeon will agree with that plan. 

I see a screen name change to "Doctor Dino" 

No thanks! I don't want to be married to the job so Dino PA-C will have to do.   

I don't trust docs, especially family docs-they're not very smart when it comes to anything other than diagnosing a flu/ear infection (something real simple)
My doc diagnosed me with stomach ulcer, after getting colonoscopy/endoscopy done there was NO ulcer to be found. I came back to him and he told me how come I'm not taking medicine he prescribed (for an ulcer).
To make story short I'm seeing a specialist about this and no longer will go back to that family doc.
In your case I would see a specialist and get some opinions. Doctors might be real pushy to talk you into surgery as it's extra thousands of dollars for them-this is how they make that huge paycheck, with your money.

Looks like you got it all figured out.