Naples Orthopedic Surgeon - Dr. Robert J. Zehr » shoulder surgery

No shoulder surgery needed for teenage football player

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:00:39 +0000

My 17-year old son separated his shoulder playing football. The doctors say ‘no surgery’ just rest and let it heal on its own. Could he get back to playing football sooner with an operation?

There are lots of problems with operations trying to repair the AC (acromioclavicular) joint. In fact more than 60 different ways to surgically repair the AC joint have been tried.

Wires and screws don’t seem to hold. They break or move causing problems. Sutures to hold the joint together don’t seem strong enough. Many times the joint starts to move apart again.

Surgery isn’t an option unless the person doesn’t recover with conservative care or the injury is so severe an operation is the only way to treat it.

If your son follows his doctor’s instructions he should heal in two to six weeks. Rehab should be completed before resuming football to prevent re-injury.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

How long is the recovery period after shoulder surgery?

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:41:47 +0000

I’m going to have arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. I really need full motion to do my job. How long will it take to get it back?

Right after surgery, you’ll probably be wearing a sling. This is kept on for a week to ten days according to your comfort level. You will be allowed to move your shoulder in two directions so long as it doesn’t hurt. The first is shoulder flexion (forward) and the second is outward rotation (elbow is held next to the body, hand moves away from the body).

By the end of the month, you may be given exercises using as much motion in all directions as pain will allow. Your full motion should be returned by 12 weeks. A recent study showed that patients who have a rotator cuff repair using only arthroscopic surgery regain motion faster. Patients who have an open incision get back their full motion, but it takes longer.

Shoulder surgery for torn rotator cuff often uses anchors

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:19:24 +0000

My son is going to have a rotator cuff tear repaired surgically. The doctor described a special anchor suture that will be used to hold the tendon in place until it heals. What kind of problems can come from using these anchors?

Rotator cuff tears are often repaired using some kind of anchor or suturing system. The fixation devices are called suture anchors. They work like rivets to reattach the tendon to the bone. These anchors can be made of bone, metal, or plastic.

Problems differ depending on the type of anchor material used. For example, some anchors (like the bone buttons) require a hole predrilled before insertion. This extra step makes for a longer operation. Sometimes the surgeon has trouble making and then finding and using the hole.

Anchors made of bone are usually absorbed by the surrounding bone and don’t have to be removed. Plastic anchors may also “dissolve” or get absorbed by the bone. Some metal anchors are held in place by threads or barbs. These do not resorb and can cause problems if they move or come loose.

Other problems can include breakage of the anchors, anchor pullout, infection, or rerupture of the tendon. Infection and poor wound healing are problems in a small number of cases. Usually, these patients have diabetes or some other healthy issues or they are tobacco users.