Arthroscopic treatment of the long biceps tendon

Due to an accident or age-related wear, the long biceps tendon can tear or become inflamed in the area where it is anchored in the shoulder joint. In both cases, it makes sense to sever the tendon at its point of origin. The tendon then anchors itself in the course of its tendon guide and grows firmly there (tenotomy). This leads to extensive relief from pain without any significant loss of strength. This arthroscopic procedure is relatively short, but it can result in a cosmetic phenomenon called a 'Popeye sign', i.e. a deep-seated muscle belly close to the elbow. If this is explicitly undesirable (e.g. in bodybuilding) or if the patient is still young, the affected tendon can also be arthroscopically reattached to its original location or to an alternative fixed point using a special anchor (tenodesis).