Concerns after Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
Hello, I'm new to this forum.
I'm 55 yo, and I'm just over 6 weeks post Reverse total shoulder replacement. I am concerned. I have not contacted my surgeons office yet because I don't want to complain without more facts.
My rotator cuff and all associated movement/external rotation etc was perfect before the surgery, and now it seems it's destroyed. (please read on).
I've been dealing with bone on bone shoulder arthritis for years, (heavy weight lifter off/on over the years) and finally decided to get it done and over with ( also, now is a good time because of other life situations).
Every assessment of my rotator cuff per-surgery was that it was good. I've never had any issues with rotator cuff, very strong. So I went into the surgery, and was literally in pre-op with the understanding I was going to have a standard anatomic total shoulder replacement, with a possible need for a custom made augmented socket insert (to compensate for some socket wear). I never had an MRI pre surgery, because the surgeon said once he's in the shoulder during surgery, he'll be able to much better assess the condition of my rotator cuff.
In the recovery room after surgery, is when I hear they had to do a reverse total shoulder, because apparently my socket was so worn down . That upsets me, because why didn't the CT scan show them before the surgery that the socket was so worn? And that I was expected to have a Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement? And then, what the ramifications of that will be e.g., big loss of use of dominate arm. The facility touts they use "Blueprint 3d Planning + PSI" that "creates an anatomic 3D model of your shoulder and virtually perform your shoulder replacement surgery"
If that's the case, why didn't they know ahead of time that I needed a Reverse Total Shoulder.
The point is, my rotator cuff and all associated movement/external rotation etc was perfect before the surgery, and now it seems it's destroyed. Even though I'm only barely over six weeks post op, I have no external rotation with "positive elbow flexion". In other words, I can't hold my elbow straight out in from of me, with arm bent at 90 degrees. Elbow will push outward, I can't keep in near my body.(SEE PICTURE BELOW).
Even sitting straight upright, at a table, with elbows very slightly in front of me (like now at a keyboard), I have to external rotation. The surgery was performed on my left shoulder and I'm left-handed. I have to hold my dominant arm so that I can brush my teeth, shave, even eat. If that doesn't get any better, it'll be a disaster. I'm already wishing I had my arthritis back. 🙁
I will be angry if they knew ahead of surgery that I needed a Reverse total shoulder replacement, while also having a perfectly good rotator cuff, and didn't tell me that I will lose a lot of use of my dominate arm.
Again, I'm sure people will read this and say ....."hey you're not even two months post surgery, give it time to heal", ......but other aspects of my recovery (Active range of motion) are going very well and this external rotation thing is not at all. If it was going to improve, I would think it would have started improving by now.
I'm hoping that somebody here who has had a reverse shoulder replacement can address external rotation ability. Again from my perspective, my rotator cuff was perfect. I had no limitations whatsoever, and now I'm afraid the use of my dominant arm will be much worse than before the surgery. I am making very quick recovery in all other aspects.
attached is picture of left arm. Can't move it outward. It's not because it's sore, it's just there is nothing there to move the arm.
Seems doubtful it will improve but looking for feedback.
Thanks all
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I’m not at all this will be of help to but it helped me in so many ways for rotation.
It is an exercise where you use your arm to make a hitchhiker sign.
I could not do it at all without help from my other hand, good shoulder side.
I would rest my arm on the dining room table and perform this exercise with the help of my hand to push the arm to through out a hitchhiker thumb sign.
I now am able to several motions I couldn’t do before.
My PT. never had me perform this exercise or told me about it. I came across it on the internet when searching for answers to my limited rotations for shoulder/ arm.
Try it.
By the way I had a RTSA surgery. Several tears in my rotator cuff and extreme osteoarthritis.
That’s for the suggestion. That motion works ok but I still can’t reach the middle of the back of my head. It’s been 18 months and my deltoids just have not come back. My surgery was because my shoulder was broken in 3 pieces and rotator cuff was torn. I’m glad this worked for you and I will keep on keeping on.
Thanks to all who shared their experiences. I’m a 69 yr old active female(gym rat, weightlifter, backpacker). I have both arthritis and a high grade rotator cuff tear in my left shoulder. This is probably due to wear and tear. My daily activities as well as upper body strength training are affected. This is emotionally very upsetting.
I’ve been advised to do reverse shoulder replacement, but have refused due to gut feeling that it’s a bad idea.
Presently doing pt, but so far not confident that this will help.
After doing some internet research and reading your stories, I’m now completely convinced I will not be doing the reverse surgery.
I’ll fight through it on my own as long as I can, then look at alternative medicine. Does anyone have experience with the latter? Prp? Stem cells? Whatever?
Again, I’m sorry for what you all are going through but just know that your sharing helped me.
PS: I arrived at pre-op in 2017 thinking I was having mitral valve repair, only to find they planned a replacement!!!! Talk about poor communication! I totally understand anger.
Hi there. I just found this forum for your exact reason. I’m 3 months post op from total reverse surgery (worn down socket from osteoarthritis and as my doctor told my husband after surgery, an obliviated rotator cuff ie, nothing left of it!) and I still can’t do external rotation. It is getting better but my PT said that with that kind of surgery, I have to build up my triceps and deltoids, which is extremely hard since they’ve never had to be used that way. The good news is the external rotation is getting better, though very slowly, so there is hope for you. At night and during the day I take about 10 minutes and go through a range of motions which I think is helping. That hitchhiker exercise someone mentioned is a really good one. When I looked at your video I saw that was exactly how I looked! The other problem I have is building up strength in that shoulder but, again, it’s the same muscles that have to be built up. I had my non dominate shoulder done first and then I was supposed to have my dominant one done in the fall, but I think I’m going to wait until the first one is much stronger because I already know the second one has to be a reverse also. I’m so sorry you had to go through the reverse when your rotator cuff was still viable. I’ve never heard that being done before so I would definitely demand an answer on why they did it on you. I hope things are getting better and when you can, let me know how you’re doing. Take care!