Pectoralis Muscle Rupture Repair

Pectoralis Muscle Rupture is a rare shoulder injury, most commonly seen in weight lifters. This injury is being seen more regularly due to the increased emphasis on healthy lifestyles. The Surgical repair of the Pectoralis Muscle Rupture has been shown to provide superior outcomes regarding having the muscle strength return. Thus it appears that surgical repair is the treatment of choice for those wishing to return to competitive or recreational athletic activity.

Preparation for Pectoralis Muscle Rupture      

• A complete history and physical by your surgeon
• You may be required to have a chest x-ray and EKG.
• Routine pre-operative tests include analyses of blood and urine.
• You should stop taking certain medications (for example, blood thinners such as aspirin)
• You should not eat or drink anything, not even water, beginning at midnight on the day of the procedure.

Pectoralis Muscle Rupture Repair

The operation is performed with the patient under a general anesthetic. The patient is placed on an operating table, with his arm on an arm board at the side.

An incision is made over the site of the tear. The torn muscle-tendon is dissected out and pulled back to where it should be. It is repaired using either sutures along, or sutures attached to anchors. The latter can be inserted into bone and used to repair the tendon back to bone.

The wounds are closed with sutures that dissolve, and covered with dressings. The arm is placed in a sling following the surgery, and the patient will wake up in the recovery ward in the sling.

After Pectoralis Muscle Rupture Repair

While most patients experience excellent results following Pectoralis Muscle Rupture Surgery, rare complications do occur: Some patients experience cosmetic differences between the injured and uninjured sides.

Weight lifters may find that they are unable to reach the same level of performance.

In rare cases, infection can occur after surgery. Don’t hesitate to contact your surgeon if you experience pain, fever or other signs of infection after surgery. Overall, Pectoralis Muscle Rupture Repair Surgery is a safe procedure that offers great patient outcomes.