Go BottomAnyone here have rotator cuff surgery
 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon 
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2007-05-27 142514
I've got a torn rotator cuff and am hearing conflicting advice on whether surgery should be done. It's been bothering me for 18 months or so and doesn't seem to be improving at all. Some people say the surgery would require a year or more of followup therapy and may not improve much even after the rehab. Anyone here have this surgery? I'd be curious to know what your experience has been and if you'd do it again.
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 | hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-05-28 142525
KW; I have a nephew by marriage that was having the same delema as you, one Dr. said the surgery was worse than the injury, another Dr. said the opposite. Far as I know he didn't have it done yet. Get well soon. Frank. ....
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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-05-28 142534
I have not had that specific procedure but I have had three other shoulder surgeries and might need another in the future.
All I can tell you is to find a Doc who specializes in that area of the body (as opposed to a general orthopedic surgeon)and find one who the micro-surgery/scope thing. ....
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| kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2007-05-28 142537
The orthopedic surgeon does the procedure with orthoscopic surgery through a small incision. He specializes in sports related injuries and does a lot of these, but he's not trying to sell me on it. He portrays the downsides pretty vividly, I'm just tired of not being able to do any overhead work or play with my left arm. I have no idea how or when the injury occurred but the surgeon said some interesting things. He said about 70% of 70-80 year olds have torn rotator cuffs and many never new about them being torn. He also said that the orthopedic world was pretty proud of themselves about the success of this surgery until autopsy studies showed that half of all people who get the surgery end up retearing the cuff (but for some reason the second time it's torn they rarely report ongoing pain). ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-05-28 142540
Ask him to test you for anterior impingement syndrome.
Your statement about not being able to work overhead sounds really familiar. All of my shoulder surgeries have been to relieve the impingement.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/980215ap/fongemie.html ....
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| kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2007-05-28 142541
Thanks for the link even though the article has a bunch of big words :) The MRI shows a definite tear. They did most of the tests in that article and I've been going to physical therapy for more than six months. The PT has helped with the pain in normal arm-down activity but it has provided no relief whatsoever with overhead pain. I can't do overhead work in the woods, or install the radiant floor heat in the basement, or play golf. The article has this quote..
"However, surgery might be considered in a patient who has failed to improve after six months of conservative treatment or in a patient less than 60 years of age with a debilitating tear that impairs function."
That pretty much describes my situation so I was hoping to gather opinions from folks who may have gone through it. ....
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| kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2007-05-28 142543
Mark, do you know why you are needing to have multiple surgeries for the same anterior imgingement problem? Do the surgeries not work or is it a condition that keeps coming back? ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-05-28 142544
Actually I had the impingement surgery done once on each shoulder and the third surgery was to trim back the end of the collar bone on one side.
My muscles had overpowered the tip of the collar bone and sort of mashed it.
My current complaint(which kind of comes and goes at this point)is the same deal with the collar bone on the other side. ....
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| primitivehouse
Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1 Saco, Maine 
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2007-05-30 142601
I've had both shoulders operated on due to torn rotator cuffs. Surgery is the only way to fix a torn rotator cuff; it doesn't heal itself. You'll probably have to be opened up after 18 months, but your orthopedic surgeon will determine the type of surgery. However, as the old saying goes: "the cure may be worse than the disease" - it's painful, takes months of physical therapy for full recovery. But in the end, it's the only way you're going to have full use of your arm/shoulder. Sorry for the reality check. ....
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