Bicep Tenodesis
Overview
Biceps tenodesis is a surgical procedure used to treat biceps tendonitis, which is also known as a biceps tendon tear. This procedure is recommended for people with biceps tendonitis who experience shoulder pain caused by inflammation that did not improve through non-surgical treatment. It is also recommended to people who need to regain strength and mobility in their shoulder after a biceps tendon tear. The procedure itself involves removing the damaged portions of the biceps tendon and reattaching it.

Anatomy
Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that consists of 3 bones: your collarbone (clavicle), your shoulder blade (scapula), and your upper arm bone (humerus). The head of your upper arm bone fits into a rounded socket (the glenoid) in your shoulder blade. A combination of tendons and muscles, known as the rotator cuff, helps keep your arm bone centered in your shoulder socket. The upper end of the biceps muscle has two tendons that attach it to the bones in the shoulder. The long head attaches to the top of the shoulder socket (glenoid). The short head attaches to a bump on the shoulder blade called the coracoid process.

Description
Biceps tenodesis is a surgical procedure used to treat biceps tendonitis of the shoulder.
Biceps tendonitis, also known as a biceps tendon tear at the shoulder, occurs due to either abrupt injury, or over time through overuse. The tendon itself can either tear partially or entirely. Most people will be able to continue living their lives without ever having to get surgery. A biceps tendon tear will cause you to lose some strength and mobility in your shoulder, but not enough to make a difference in your daily activities. But people who need to regain full mobility and strength of the shoulder will need to get surgery.
There are several different ways a biceps tenodesis procedure is done, but they all fit into two different categories: soft tissue and hard tissue techniques.
The two main soft tissue techniques are:
- Open keyhole procedure: An opening in the humerus, also known as a keyhole, is created and then using tiny instruments, a rolled-up end of the bicep is stitched into place.
- The Pitt technique: two needles are used to develop an interlocking pattern of sutures and then tie the tendon to a shoulder ligament.
The two main hard tissue techniques are as follows:
- The biceps tendon is first detached. A hole is then created at the top of the arm bone. One end of the tendon is attached to the hole while the rest of the tendon is secured by screwing it to the bone.
- The biceps tendon is detached and then reattached to a button slid into a hole at the top of the arm bone.
Your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician will determine the right version of biceps tenodesis for you.
Next Steps
Biceps tenodesis has a high success rate. Most people who get the procedure report less pain, better flexibility and strength of their shoulder and can return to their sports and activities. The procedure itself is thought to be most successful when performed three months after the initial injury.
Contact your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician today to learn more about biceps tendonitis.
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Areas of Focus
- Shoulder
- AC Joint Injuries
- Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
- Atraumatic Shoulder Instability
- Bankart Repair
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bioinductive Implant
- Broken Collarbone
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Clavicle Fractures
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder
- Little League Shoulder
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Injury: Pain In The Overhead Athlete
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Separations
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Subacromial Decompression
- Trapezius Strain (Muscle Strain of The Upper Back)
- Traumatic Shoulder Instability
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Bicep Tenodesis:
Specialties
- AC Joint Injuries
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion Surgery
- Anterior Cervical Corpectomy & Discectomy
- Arthritis & Adult Reconstruction Surgery
- Arthroscopic Articular Cartilage Repair
- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
- Articular Cartilage Restoration
- Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa
- Atraumatic Shoulder Instability
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bioinductive Implant
- Bone Cement Injection
- Bone Growth Stimulation
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Clavicle Fractures
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Community Outreach
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Degenerative Disk Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discectomy
- Discitis Treatment & Information
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Elbow
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries in Throwing Athletes
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Foraminotomy
- Fractured Fingers
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- General Orthopedics
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Golfer's Elbow
- Groin Strains and Pulls
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hallux Rigidus Surgery - Cheilectomy
- Hammer Toe
- Hamstring Injuries
- Hand & Finger Replantation
- Hand & Wrist
- Hand Nerve Decompression
- Hand Skin Grafts
- Hand, Wrist, Elbow & Shoulder
- Heat Injury/Heat Prostration
- High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmosis Ligament Injury)
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Impingement Labral Tears
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hip Pointers and Trochanteric Bursitis
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliopsoas Tenotomy
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder
- Interlaminar Implants
- Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumental Fusion: ILIF
- Interventional Pain Management
- Interventional Spine
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Knee & Leg
- Kyphoplasty (Balloon Vertebroplasty)
- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Laminectomy: Decompression Surgery
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injuries
- Lisfranc Injuries
- Little League Shoulder
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
- Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
- Lumbar Interbody Fusion (IBF)
- MACI
- Mallet, Hammer & Claw Toes
- Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Neurosurgery
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopedic Physician Or A Podiatrist?
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatry
- Primary Care Sports Medicine
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Radial Tunnel Syndrome (Entrapment of the Radial Nerve)
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Robotics
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Runner's Knee
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Senior Strong
- Shin Splints
- Shoulder
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Injury: Pain In The Overhead Athlete
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Separations
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Sports Foot Injuries
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sports Wrist and Hand Injuries
- Sprained Ankle
- Sprained Wrist Symptoms and Treatment
- Subacromial Decompression
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement Surgery
- Trapezius Strain (Muscle Strain of The Upper Back)
- Traumatic Shoulder Instability
- Triceps Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- Turf Toe
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Tendonitis