I am having a Rotator Cuff Repair

Transcription

1 I am having a Rtatr Cuff Repair A rtatr cuff repair is surgery t repair a trn tendn in the shulder. The rtatr cuff is a grup f muscles and tendns that frm a cuff ver the shulder jint. The muscles and tendns hld the arm in its jint and help the shulder jint t mve. The tendns can be trn frm veruse r injury. Tears range frm a partial tear in ne tendn t cmplete tears f ne r mre tendns. The prcedure can be dne with a large (pen) incisin r with shulder arthrscpy which uses small buttn hle size incisins r a cmbinatin f the tw. Reasns why rtatr cuff repair may be dne include: Yu have shulder pain when yu rest r at night, and it has nt imprved with physi ver 6 t 12 mnths. Yu are active and use yur shulder fr sprts r wrk. Yu have weakness and are unable t d everyday activities. Surgery is a gd chice when: Yu have a large r a cmplete rtatr cuff tear. A tear was caused by a recent injury The tendns f the rtatr cuff were nt already trn frm chrnic rtatr cuff prblems. A partial tear may nt require surgery. Instead, rest and physi are used t heal the shulder. This apprach is ften best fr peple wh dn t place a lt f demand n their shulder. Pain can be expected t imprve. The tear may becme larger ver time. Surgery t repair a trn rtatr cuff is usually successful in relieving pain in the shulder. The prcedure may nt always return strength t the shulder. Rtatr cuff repair can require a lng recvery perid, especially if the tear was large. When yu can return t wrk r play sprts depends n the surgery that was dne. Expect at least 6 mnths t resume yur regular activities. Sme rtatr cuff tears may nt fully heal. Stiffness, weakness, and chrnic pain may still be present. These prer results are mre likely when the fllwing are present: The rtatr cuff was already trn r weak befre the injury Larger tears After-surgery exercises and instructins are nt fllwed Older patients (ver 65)

2 Smking What happens befre my surgery? Planning ahead is the key t having less stress and achieving the best utcme frm yur surgery. Recvering frm shulder arthrscpic surgery can take up t 3 mnths. Yu can take steps befre surgery that will help make yur recvery easier and faster. Having a psitive attitude and lking frward t getting back a gd quality f life is an imprtant part f the recvery prcess. As yu will be in a sling fr up t 6 weeks yu will need t rganise a supprt persn t drive yu hme and take care f yur day t day activities. Befre yur surgery, many peple will be asking abut yur insurance cverage, medical histry, and legal arrangements. Yu may feel that yu are answering the same questins ver and ver again. If yu have everything written dwn, yu can reduce yur frustratin and speed the prcess. Yu shuld be in the best pssible health befre yur surgery. The physical preparatins yu can make, can affect bth the utcme f the surgery, and yur recvery time. Eat well and start sme light exercise. If yu are diabetic make sure yu have clear instructin frm yur dctr abut yur medicatin. If yu take Bld Thinning medicatin please let yur surgen knw. If yu smke, it is highly recmmended that yu quit r cut dwn, because smking can change bld flw patterns and delay healing, resulting in a slw recvery. If yu drink, limit the amunt f alchl fr at least 48 hurs befre surgery. If yu are mre than a scial drinker please let yur surgen knw t reduce the incidence f withdrawals. Day Surgery Admissin Prcess As yur admissin is planned and t ensure that it is quick and easy, yu must first register yur details with the Day Surgery r Hspital well in advance f yur planned admissin date, thrugh the Admissin Call Centre. Make sure yu have all the relevant infrmatin at hand e.g. Medicare, Wrk Cver, Private Health Care prvider. The Admissin Call Centre will then cntact yu clser t the date f surgery t acknwledge yur admissin and cnfirm health fund details. Yu will then be cntacted by an admissin nurse t btain yur medical histry and prvide yu with infrmatin abut yur impending prcedure and ffer yu the pprtunity t ask questins abut what t expect during yur stay and remve the fear f the unknwn. What happens the day befre my surgery? The days befre cming int hspital fr yur surgery are usually busy. Use this check list t make sure yu dn t frget anything.

3 Bring yur Orthpaedics Twmba surgical flder as it cntains yur Cnsent Frm cmpleted by yu and yur surgen. All X Rays and Scans Yur Medicare Card, Pensin Card and Health Benefits Card. Yur Pharmacy Benefits/Safety Net Card/Wrk Cver/ Third Party claim details/dva Card. The hspital will ntify yu with an admissin time, where t arrive and a fasting time n this day. Fasting means n fd r fluids after the time given. If yu are required t take medicatin, take with a sip f water nly. Shwer prir t cming int hspital. D nt wear talcum pwder, dedrant, perfumes r nail plish. Wear cmfrtable clthes that are easy t remve D nt wear jewellery r bring valuables with yu t hspital. Bring aids yu usually require e.g. glasses, hearing aids, r walking aids in gd wrking rder. What happens while I am in hspital? On the day f yur surgery please arrive punctually at the allcated time. Infrm the receptin staff f yur arrival and they will check yur admissin details and make sure that all dcumentatin is signed and witnessed. An admissin nurse will discuss yur past medical histry, knwn allergies and current medicatin/s regime. Yu will be changed int surgical attire and yur perative site prepared. Yu will then be taken t a waiting rm where the anaesthetist will discuss with yu yur anaesthetic ptins and what t expect. At this time yu will be asked the same questins ver again by the theatre staff t check the side and site f surgery and if yu have any allergies. What happens during my surgery? A Rtatr Cuff Repair will take at least 40 minutes t 1 hur, depending n hw much wrk yur surgen needs t d inside yur shulder. Three cmmn techniques used t repair a Rtatr Cuff tear are: During pen repair, a surgical incisin is made and the large muscle (the deltid) is gently mved ut f the way t d the surgery. Open repair is dne fr a large r mre cmplex tear.

4 During arthrscpy, the arthrscpe is inserted thrugh a small incisin. The scpe is cnnected t a vide mnitr. This allws the surgen t view the inside f the shulder. During mini-pen repair, any damaged tissue r bne spurs are remved r repaired using arthrscpic instruments. Then during the pen part f the surgery, a 5 t 7.5 cm incisin is made t repair the rtatr cuff. At the end f the surgery, the incisins are clsed and a dressing is applied. If arthrscpy was perfrmed, mst surgen s take pictures f the prcedure frm the vide mnitr t shw yu what they fund. Immediately after surgery yu will be transferred t the recvery rm where yu will be mnitred and given pain relief as required. When the anaesthetist and staff are happy with yur pst p recvery they will transfer yu t the ward. Once yu have returned t the ward the mnitring f yur vital signs will cntinue. Yu will be given the rdered pain relief that is suited fr yu. Ice therapy will als cmmence t reduce swelling and enhance effectiveness f pain relief. Yu will be encuraged t deep breathe and cugh. Yur shulder will have a dressing n it and yur arm will be in a sling fr immbilisatin. The IV therapy will still be in yur arm t enable yu t receive antibitics and pain relief; this will cme ut the next day if yu are feeling well enugh. Yu will be able t eat and drink if yu desire. Yu may be in hspital fr ne t tw nights. What happens when I g hme? After surgery yur arm will be in a sling r an immbiliser. Wear the sling at all times, unless yur surgen advises yu therwise. DO NOT mve yur arm away frm yur bdy r ver yur head. When yu sleep, raise yur upper bdy n pillws. DO NOT lie flat. Yu can als try sleeping n a reclining chair. It is k t straighten yur arm belw yur elbw and mve yur wrist and hand. But try t mve yur arm as little as pssible. Yur arm shuld bend at a 90 degree angle at yur elbw. The sling shuld supprt yur wrist and hand s that they d nt extend past the sling. Mve yur fingers, hand and wrist arund 3 t 4 times during the day while they are in the sling. Each time, d this 10 t 15 times. Yur surgen will refer yu t a physitherapist t cmmence rehabilitatin f yur shulder.

5 Yu will start with passive exercises. These are exercises the therapist will d with yur arm. They help get the full mvement back in yur shulder. After that yu will d exercises the therapist teaches yu. These will help increase the strength in yur shulder and the muscles arund yur shulder. Cnsider making sme changes arund yur hme s it is easier fr yu t take care f yurself. Stre everyday items yu use in places yu can reach easily. Keep things with yu that yu use a lt (such as yur phne). Yu are unable t use the hand f the side f yur surgery. D nt lift anything with this arm r hand. D nt lean n the arm r put any weight n it. Bring bjects tward yur stmach by pulling in with yur perative arm and hand. D nt mve r twist yur elbw behind yur bdy t reach fr anything. Yur surgen will give yu a prescriptin fr pain medicines. Get it filled when yu g hme s yu have it when yu need it. Take yur pain medicatin regularly t have effective relief. Narctic pain medicine can make yu cnstipated. Drink plenty f fluids, eat high fibre fruits and vegetables t help keep yur stls lse. Yu will see yur surgen 10 t 14 days after yur surgery t have suture/staples remved. Until then keep yur dressing dry and clean. Please cntact yur surgen if the fllwing ccur:- Bleeding that saks thrugh yur dressing and des nt stp when yu place pressure ver the area. Pain that is nt cntrlled by yur pain medicatin. Swelling in yur arm. Numbness r tingling in yur fingers r hand. Yur hand r fingers are darker in clur r feel cl t tuch. Redness, pain, swelling r a yellwish discharge frm any f the wunds. Temperature higher than 38.3 degrees.