Rotator Cuff operation
 

Can some of the people here help me understand how much pain I can expect with medium to some what serious tears and separations of rotator cuff. Possible bicep detachment as well. Thanks in advance, Paul.

It's a painful recovery. My post surgery pain (replacement) is nil but the PT is gonna be rough. I have on hand to help with the PT:
pain meds indicated before sessions. I take this to mean when you see the therapist 2wice a week because otherwise you are doing the exercises 3 times a day. 6 days a week.
an ice water bladder with pump in ice chest
special clothing
adjustable bed or recliner chair
grab bar in shower plus stool

Some of that doesn't answer your question. The answer is buck up, this is why we are the tough azzes we are. I mean it. I had a couple hours in the hospital (you will go home) where I lay and cry. Well, it seemed that long. They came with liquid Dilaudid. I don't think that should have happened. For you it probably won't.

Find and read my thread.

Oh, and good luck. One key is to find the best doc. Any sports medicine joint :D isn't enough. Do your due diligence. It took me 6 months to find what seems like the right guy. A fellow Pelican helped me there.

Find a good therapist. I've been looking around for months and the day before surgery I interviewed where I will be going. If they don't seem to be spot on when I start, I walk out.

Ask for an interscalene brachial plexus sheath catheter to be placed BEFORE surgery.

Where I went they are down on drips and big on blocks. You can't take either home with you. Will that work for outpatient? RCP is usually outpatient.

What do I know? Just one out of many.

Wow. I’m getting surgery for my torn rotator cuff in a few weeks. Can’t imagine the pain from surgery being worse then what I’m going through now. My quality of life has seriously eroded. Hoping for the best.

My right one was done twice (8 years apart) left once. Wasn't too bad, make sure you allow healing time before you start any rehab. Remember Harry's advice
' Good Man's gotta know his limitations '

Good Luck
Rich

The catheter facilitates pain control by infusing local anesthetic onto the nerves that feed your shoulder and arm/hand. The pumps can be disposable or reusable (hospitals or surgery centers may use either or both). They are typically used for 2 or so days then removed. The beauty of them is that you typically go home pain free that day.

Some places only offer a single injection which can't be made to last as long an infusion but are still better than nothing. The trouble with single injections is that when they wear off (usually early AM when the patient is asleep) it seems like throwing a switch to turn on all the pain, all at once. Of course, the pain was slowly happening while the patient was asleep but the train was leaving the station for quite awhile before reaching the waking threshold.

I did ask for one. Not their style. Now we're talking about Cedars Sinai here.

An aside, the morning check in 6 am was different for me as I've never had major surgery before. After being interviewed for my data (again and again) I was called by a nurse to line up and follow. We 8 or so patients walked down the hallway about 3 miles and then got out little curtained off booths. One by one each was rolled away. Last thing I remembered until I was awake and I was awake like I had never left. Good ol' times chatting with the doc and wife like I'd just come in from a few laps.

W i i i d e awake. I stayed awake for 40 hours straight until the pain hit like pavalon said. A few more hours awake with first intravenous dilaudid and a 2nd block. It's been a week today and I haven't taken any pain meds for 2 days. No pain at all.

Rehab will be different, IK.

Thanks for the tips. Just have to suck it up and deal with it. Just looking forward to getting it over with.

I had surgery for a full thickness supraspinatus tear on Sept 24 2018. 3 weeks prior I had 2 lumbar laminectomies with 2 fusions and 4 cages. Back is doing great. Shoulder was somewhat tough for a few weeks after surgery. It’s a very slow recovery because the tear was as bad as they can get. I’m still only doing passive ( assisted) range of motion therapy. I had to wear the sling for 3 months. Dr won’t let me do active motion until the 6th month mark.
To your question about pain , I have a fairly high threshold and took pain pills for 2 weeks after surgery. The pain wasn’t as severe as some had warned it would be.
Follow Drs orders and know it’s going to be a very long recovery.
Good luck, Tim

My gf had it done several years ago. IIRC, it was 6 months of PT, then she was good to go.

Yup, I had this about 7 years ago. You are looking at a 6 month deal, from surgery until "normal" function. Post surgical pain wasn't bad; it's all about the therapy. But the first part is the roughest: pretty soon after surgery you have to start stretching it out so it doesn't freeze due to scar tissue build up. Man that sucks. You have to get range of motion back, and because they shorten all the tendons they have to be physically stretched. But once you get through everything, you will love the outcome. My shoulder feels like I am 21 again (even 7 years later). Of course, my other one seems shot in comparison. And I echo what was said earlier: shop for a good doc. But mostly, be resigned to doing the therapy, and do it with gusto.

Added note: a lot of the outcome depends on age and how severe the tear. I’m told by Dr and therapist it will take me about a year to reach maximal healing and function, (due to full thickness tear). FYI: I’m 59, therapist keeps telling me all I’m losing is time. Dr is advising me to become left hand dominant and never lift more than 20 lbs overhead with right. Tim

I'm curious, what was the cause of these rotator cuff tears? Were they due to a single event (impact/trama) or just excessive wear over time?

I have been playing competitive tennis for over 40 yrs, raced motocross and was a chiropractor for 20 yrs. I believe all of this was a factor. Crowning blow around 18 months ago I was shoveling mud out of car wash pits into a 5 gallon bucket and dumping up high into a dumpster, about the 40th bucket right hand underneath pushing up heard and felt a tearing sound, pain was mild to moderate. I continued life as normal, Dr said impingement syndrome and couple cortisone shots with minimal help. Around 8 months ago playing tennis extended right arm out running back to retrieve a lob, felt and heard the same tear as when I was doing mud. I believe each incident tore it 50% resulting in a complete thickness tear.
My advice to anyone who has a significant tear is to fix ASAP. Since I waited so long tendon wasn’t in good shape kinda like hamburger and acromion was damaged. If this doesn’t work I’m looking at total shoulder replacement. Be careful lifting anything overhead, get help on heavy stuff and try and keep shoulder muscles strong including deltoid. Tim

That makes sense. It sounds like with most older guys its usually excess weight/resistance and range of motion on the shoulder that leads to the tear and for younger guys its impact/trauma. I can see how tennis would be extremely tough on the shoulders. I hope you have a full recovery, shoulder injuries suck. I've had a few myself.

I had mine done alittle over a year ago.bicep tear and 3 major tears. Pain was not bad trying to sleep with the brace on was the worst happened when I was turning 60. Shoulder feels great now bicep cramps now and then.

My gf had about a 70% tear on her supraspinatus. Her PCP kind of ignored it for years and told her to go to PT. PT didn't help much, so pushed for a specialist to see her. He finally gave in and that's when she got an MRI, then surgery.

After the surgery, my gf noticed there was a lack of crepitus in the joint as the surgeon cleaned that out while she was in there.

I just turned 65. have not worked out much in 4 years. I know, I know. Mine is a full tear. About 3cm if I remember correctly. That's one tear the other I'm not sure of, I'm not home to check. Mine was from trama.

Thanks all for the info.