The shoulder is the most flexible and complex joint of the body. Shoulder pain, lack of movement, stiffness, etc., can cause discomfort. However, you can treat moderate shoulder pain with physiotherapy, pain relievers, etc. But your physiotherapist may advise you to consult an orthopaedic surgeon who may recommend shoulder surgery like shoulder replacement in India for severe shoulder pain. Severe pain includes significant shoulder weakness, chronic pain lasting three to six months, rotator cuff tears, etc.
You can undertake a search for the top surgeons and undergo shoulder replacement in India. But before undergoing shoulder replacement in India or any other shoulder surgery, you must consider a few facts. Considering facts allows you to make an informed decision. Here are ten facts about shoulder surgery that you must know. Read on to learn about them in this article.
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Shoulder surgery types:
There are various types of shoulder surgery. Your surgeon will recommend the one you need after conducting a thorough diagnosis. Consult your doctor and understand what kind of shoulder surgery you need. The table below shows a few common shoulder surgeries.
| Shoulder Surgery Types | Shoulder Replacement | Shoulder Arthroscopy | Rotator Cuff Surgery | Fracture Repair | Torn Labrum Surgery |
| When do you need them? | For continuous shoulder pain and weakness, loss of motion, etc | For soft tissue injury | When you have a tear in the rotator cuff tendon or severe shoulder pain | For a broken bone that you can’t treat with splinting or bracing | For torn ligaments and labrum that cannot heal after physical therapy |
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Risk and complications:
Every surgery has its risk and complications. You must note them down before having one. For example, the common risk factors in shoulder surgery involve infection, stiffness, nerve damage, blood clots, bleeding, tendon re-tear, anesthetic risks, etc. Understanding these factors prepares you and your family mentally for surgical outcomes.
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Surgery time:
Surgeons complete shoulder surgery in around one to two hours, depending upon the shoulder injury severity and the surgery process. The shoulder surgery processes include minimally invasive surgery, mini-open surgery, and open surgery.
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Success rate:
Listed below are the success rates you can analyze as per common shoulder surgeries.
- Rotator Cuff Surgery: More than 95% for minor tears
- Shoulder Replacement Surgery: More than 90%, lasts at least ten years
- Torn Labrum Surgery: Between 85%-90%
- Fracture Repair: Around 90%
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Recovery time:
Recovery time depends on the type of shoulder surgery you underwent and the extent of the repair. However, you can expect a recovery time of around six months. Your surgeon may ask you to keep your shoulder immobile for the first six weeks. You can make considerate shoulder moments from six to twelve weeks. While from the period of three to six months, you will strengthen your muscles for complete recovery.
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Medications to avoid after surgery:
Some medications may cause you to bleed after surgery. They include Aspirin, Coumadin, Ibuprofen, Naprosyn, etc. You must avoid these anti-inflammatory medications or any other medications as intimated by the surgeon.
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Back to work:
You can be back to work in around three weeks if you have an office job. However, if your job requires lifting, pulling, and any other sort of manual labour, you may need three to four months off post-surgery.
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Surgery Cost:
You can consider the shoulder surgery costs of expert surgeons in advance. Comparing cost estimates will allow you to plan your budget accordingly and reduce last-minute hurdles. For instance, the average cost for shoulder arthroscopy ranges between USD 800 to USD 3200. However, rotator cuff surgery and shoulder replacement costs approx. USD 3000 and USD 6500 respectively.
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What to anticipate on the surgery day?
You may need to follow these steps on the day of surgery:
- Sign the surgical consent form
- Discuss your medical history and the anesthesia type you will get
- After starting anesthesia, the surgical team will put a tube in the windpipe to observe and control your breathing
- Next, the team will monitor your critical body functions throughout the procedure
Post-surgery restrictions:
You should be aware of the post-shoulder surgery restrictions and follow them for a quick recovery. Some common conditions include:
- Avoid driving for a few weeks post-surgery
- Avoid lifting heavy weights using the affected shoulder
- Avoid using the affected shoulder to support your body
- Avoid sleeping on the affected shoulder
- Avoid smoking
Conclusion:
Having prior knowledge of shoulder surgery factors like the risk and complications involved, restrictions, the cost parameters, recovery time, etc., make your decision-making stronger. Hopefully, these ten facts will assist you significantly in better preparing yourself for shoulder replacement in India or any other shoulder surgery. Furthermore, following the surgeon’s instructions and proper physiotherapy sessions, you can recover fast after shoulder replacement surgery in India.