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Reverse Shoulder Replacement: Recovery process

Posted by mimi99 @mimi99, Aug 1, 2018

I am scheduled for this surgery in September. I have been putting it off as long as possible, because I am worried about recovery. I don't have a lot of help and am very concerned with how well I will be able to handle daily living activities with the shoulder immobilizer. If anyone has gone through this recovery process, I would appreciate any advice or input you may have.

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Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Oct 23, 2020
In reply to @ltsally "Okay.... I'm the one that had the unusual surgery in May... It didn't work... so two..." + (show)
@ltsally

Okay.... I'm the one that had the unusual surgery in May... It didn't work... so two weeks ago today , Oct. 9th, 2020, they did a total reverse shoulder replacement. Had my post surgery appt. yesterday and PT today. My arm is and has been pretty pain free since the surgery (GET A NERVE BLOCK CATHETER). I can lift my arm to 115 degrees 2 weeks post surgery... That was just an evaluation.. NOT recommended. I'm pain free and will wear the sling for another week. My goal is to get back to tennis ... we will see, but the surgery seems to have been successful. I'm 67, good weight, average height, and since 4 days after surgery have walked 10,000 steps a day. Totally supportive of this surgery. The one upside.... my right arm is now about 2.5 inches longer than my left. When I get back to tennis, it will be hard to get a ball past me on the forehand side 🙂

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Hi there @itsally.......how great to see your post. I kind of thought I might get a great message from you just like that. It appears that you have done everything perfectly. (I won't ever forget the NERVE BLOCK CATHETER.)

I am glad this attempt is progressing normally or even better than normal. Just be careful. And keep walking......that even works for me both mentally and physically. So..just when it was part of my routine, an early winter with several inches of snow and temps in the
20's arrived.

Do you have a program or protocol to begin swinging a tennis racket NEXT YEAR? Wonder if table tennis would be a good place to start?. I so want you to be free of pain and back on the courts. Do you play doubles also?

Have a fabulous day........please check-in and let me know how you are progressing. I am very interested of course in the feedback, you will be getting from your surgeon and PT. Hope it is o.k. to ask for your help with other members.

May you have happiness and the causes of happiness.
Chris

REPLY
ltsally | @ltsally | Oct 23, 2020

Yes always okay to ask for help and reply.....I am so optimistic .... but that is who I am. I will keep you informed. As far as tennis, I am months out, but hopeful. This is going to be GREAT. Additionally the recovery / pain of a reverse shoulder replacement compared with a rotator cuff tear is night and day... This is a piece of cake... I take an over the counter pain med about every other day. For any shoulder surgery GET A NERVE BLOCK CATHETHER THAT LASTS DAYS!

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martydav | @martydav | Oct 25, 2020

I had a bad fall and broke my elbow, shoulder and hip. (Dominant right arm). Plate and screws in elbow, and RSR on shoulder. Surgery was sept 17.
Have severe constant pain. Have done PT for probably five days. (Excruciatingly painful) cannot
bend my elbow.

REPLY
ltsally | @ltsally | Oct 25, 2020

I am so sorry you are in pain...... guessing it is from a combination of all those breaks. My RSR was Oct. 9th and really have no pain... BUT... I only had RSR. You are dealing with so much more. What does the doc say? Take care.

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martin37350 | @martin37350 | Feb 28, 2021
In reply to @artscaping "Good evening @bernster, Welcome ....to Connect. Although we don't have medical degrees or backgrounds, our life..." + (show)
@artscaping

Good evening @bernster, Welcome ....to Connect. Although we don't have medical degrees or backgrounds, our life experience has taught us about our bodies, our diseases, and specifically how to cope with and overcome our challenges.

One of my life challenges has been how to fix my right shoulder. Have you already had rotator repair? How did you hurt your shoulder? What else have you tried; physical therapy, acupuncture, medications? Have you seen a video of a reverse shoulder replacement?

Now that you have answered all of my questions and inquiries, I will answer yours. Yes, I have had reverse shoulder replacement surgery on my dominant right shoulder. My injury was a fall from a platform and down a mountain. And I wasn't bungee jumping. The essential information is that by sheer luck I ended up with an amazing surgeon who was current, up to date and a patient advocate.

As he came in to do the first rotator repair, he looked at me and said, "You know, you've got the grand canyon of holes in there". And he was spot on. So.....after the tissues healed he told me that he might be able to patch it together with a cadaver graft. However, there wasn't enough of my tissue for any connection to be made. Then he told me there was a new option.......recently approved by the FDA and developed in France. He sat me down and we watched the video. I was just blown away. To think that you can change the entire structural orientation of a shoulder. Wow! The major problem....insurance. At the time they weren't accepting folks who were likely to have post-surgery issues that would be costly. Too old, too young, too something or other.

This surgeon spent almost an hour talking to the insurer on my behalf. He won.

The surgery time came and I was introduced to an engineer from the manufacturer as well as a couple of other unusual participants. It went very well......there was the usual post-surgery discomfort. Two days later I was out to dinner with friends, learning to use my non-dominant hand without spilling everything. I was able to go back to work at my business and begin some gentle therapy within not too many days. I used a lot of ice and slept in the immobilizer with a special pillow. And here is a reminder: You cannot drive with your arm in a sling of any kind. Be careful.

So what is the status today, several years later? I have absolutely zero pain in the arm, shoulder, wrist, or hand as a result of the reverse shoulder surgery.

So what are you waiting for?????? the killer issue? No @bernster, I will be genuine here. I don't have the flexibility or range of motion I used to have. And my arm gets a little cock-eyed looking when I eat an ice cream cone. Still.......not bad. In fact, no pain is a bit of alright.

Please let me know if you would like any additional information. Hopefully, you will be able to return responses to my questions and I will see if additional information would be helpful.

May you be content and at peace.

Chris

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My husband had a right reverse shoulder replacement after falling down the steps Sep 22. Due to the long wait, fluid in his chest with a thoracentesis to clear, Covid cancelling elective surgery finally on Feb 3 had the surgery and unfortunately it was unsuccessful. We were quite disappointed to say the least. Two choices another surgery or do nothing and live with limited mobility. My husband has no pain just an ache 3 weeks past-op. His muscle has deteriorated nothing for the ball and socket to connect to.

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1 reply
Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Feb 28, 2021
In reply to @martin37350 "My husband had a right reverse shoulder replacement after falling down the steps Sep 22. Due..." + (show)
@martin37350

My husband had a right reverse shoulder replacement after falling down the steps Sep 22. Due to the long wait, fluid in his chest with a thoracentesis to clear, Covid cancelling elective surgery finally on Feb 3 had the surgery and unfortunately it was unsuccessful. We were quite disappointed to say the least. Two choices another surgery or do nothing and live with limited mobility. My husband has no pain just an ache 3 weeks past-op. His muscle has deteriorated nothing for the ball and socket to connect to.

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@martin37350 Oh no, oh no. I was just tortured when I read your post. Let me see if I can wrap my arms and my heart around this unexpected and certainly unwelcome outcome. So....no rotator cuff? Here is a video of a reverse replacement. Does that look familiar to you? Am I understanding the images correctly? I have no rotator cuff.......and yet the ball fits quite well into the socket. My PT and personal trainer worked tirelessly to strengthen the deltoid so that it would be able to lift the shoulder.

What would a second surgery involve? What are the risks? What might the reward be? and then... What is the quality of life improvement your husband can have if he undergoes another surgery....and a recuperation? Essentially I had 2 rotator cuff surgeries that didn't work and then waited another year or so for insurance approval for the reverse.

Have a look at this video and see if the parts of the puzzle are in the right places?
Have you thought of a second opinion with a focus on potential outcomes?

Please hunt me down when you have some info and I will come a-running. Thank you for including me.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rotator-cuff-injury/multimedia/reverse-shoulder-replacement-video/vid-20086567

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

REPLY
1 reply
martin37350 | @martin37350 | Mar 1, 2021

There is no 24/7 pain for Russ after surgery just an ache. Russ tore us rotator cuff 100% and the muscle deteriorated thus nothing for the ball and socket to hang on to. The RSR was delayed 4 months due to Covid, fluid around his ribs (thoracentesis, elective surgeries cancelled. Russ has movement in his strong right hand just cannot lift up his right arm. He decided not to repeat the RSR surgery as there are no guarantees that the ball and socket would stay in. Pray there is new surgery that the prosthetic ball and socket can stay in. Russ has adapted to his left hand and of course has limited mobility on the right.

REPLY
ltsally | @ltsally | Mar 1, 2021

Sometimes life sucks. So sorry for Russ's issues and will hope and pray something new develops in shoulder replacement. Good luck.I had RSR 6 months after a lower trapezius tendon transfer surgery didn't work. You never know what they will invent next.

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Moderator
Amanda Roe | @amandajro | Mar 2, 2021

Hello @martin37350. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am so very sorry to hear of your husband's experience and surgery outcome not being what he had hoped for. @artscaping has come to share her experience and posed some great questions I will let you answer first.

REPLY
martin37350 | @martin37350 | Mar 8, 2021
In reply to @artscaping "@martin37350 Oh no, oh no. I was just tortured when I read your post. Let me..." + (show)
@artscaping

@martin37350 Oh no, oh no. I was just tortured when I read your post. Let me see if I can wrap my arms and my heart around this unexpected and certainly unwelcome outcome. So....no rotator cuff? Here is a video of a reverse replacement. Does that look familiar to you? Am I understanding the images correctly? I have no rotator cuff.......and yet the ball fits quite well into the socket. My PT and personal trainer worked tirelessly to strengthen the deltoid so that it would be able to lift the shoulder.

What would a second surgery involve? What are the risks? What might the reward be? and then... What is the quality of life improvement your husband can have if he undergoes another surgery....and a recuperation? Essentially I had 2 rotator cuff surgeries that didn't work and then waited another year or so for insurance approval for the reverse.

Have a look at this video and see if the parts of the puzzle are in the right places?
Have you thought of a second opinion with a focus on potential outcomes?

Please hunt me down when you have some info and I will come a-running. Thank you for including me.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rotator-cuff-injury/multimedia/reverse-shoulder-replacement-video/vid-20086567

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

Jump to this post

The titanium ball and plastic socket popped out as waiting 4 months due to Covid and cancellation of elective surgeries, the muscle has deteriorated. My husband has been in pain an ache as after 4 weeks did work around the condo put up a flagpole and started a model airplane kit. Russ has been putting a heating pad on his shoulder which helps. We go back to the Ortho surgeon this week. Russ had 2 choices: to live with limited mobility of his dominant right arm or do the surgery over with no guarantees....as the muscle has deteriorated. How long will recovery be? Surgeon said PT will not help. Any suggestions as it is quite disappointing. Russ has a great attitude. Love this guy!

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