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Has anyone had a stress fracture of the scapular spine after RTSA
I recently had my 4th surgery on my left shoulder. Two failed rotator cuff repairs, a ballon and now a reverse total. About a month in, I was experiencing hobble pain. After trying to tell the surgeon for 3 weeks it was not my neck, he finally decided to do an MRI. They found a stress fracture of the scapular spine. The pain is horrible. Anyone have comments? How long does it last and how do I know it won’t happen again?? I am only 54 and will be using this shoulder (hopefully)!
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Yes, I just went through it only mine shattered total of 14 weeks in a sling. Now my arm has zero strength out of a sling now, but I can’t use my arm for anything more than lifting a coffee cup for two months. It was 100 times more painful than my shoulder reverse replacement. They did a CT scan of it after surgery and now I have severe muscle loss they call it something else, but I can’t think of the name right now. I think it’s osteopenia so I’m gonna be in Physical Therapy for a long time. It can only be moved passively in Therapy and they try to stretch it out so I can try to get my movement back. At least I had total articulation of my shoulder after the replacement until it broke now I don’t know what I’m gonna end up with and then I’m told in one year they might have to do surgery again to remove the metal they put in and all the screws 26 and three plates and had to reduce my scapula
Oh my I am so sorry! Did it shatter shortly after the surgery? Are they giving you a reason why or did you fall or have an accident? I am regretting the reverse replacement. I wish I would have just put up with the torn rotator cuff but they make it sound so good. Pain free and never any problems with a reverse replacement. Wrong! I am so glad you responded. Let’s keep in touch.
@jude1971 I too have had a rotten recovery with severe pain, and unable to do the strengthening exercises. I'm finally going to see a second opinion shoulder surgeon in a different city in April to find out what went wrong in my RTSR 9 months ago. I too was told this procedure was done to be free of pain and the second shoulder would be done in 90 days. I'm still worse than before surgery! And to make matters worse I have two new nerve pain problems. However my surgeon wouldn't do anything but more x-rays. I think now he must've been avoiding finding out what was wrong. Either it is because he doesn't want to help public health patients or because his skills are limited to the technical aspects of RSA . I have not had the second shoulder done, and will be asking questions about whether I should in addition to whether the first shoulder can be fixed. I'll post results of my investigations.