Is it better to have rotator cuff surgery or not?

Surgery may be a good idea if you tore your rotator cuff in a sudden injury and the tear is making your shoulder weak. But surgery can’t fully reverse problems that occur over time with wear and tear of the rotator cuff.

What is the success rate for rotator cuff repair surgery?

At one year following surgery, ultrasound results showed that 64.3 percent of patients had a healed rotator cuff. This percentage went up to 75.4 percent at two years and 81.2 percent at five years.

How much work will I miss with rotator cuff surgery?

Depending on your occupation and the type of work you perform the recovery from rotator cuff surgery may require a lot of time off work to allow your rotator cuff to heal properly. The precise amount of time needed to be off from work after rotator cuff surgery can vary from 3-8 months.

Is rotator cuff surgery high risk?

In general, surgery involving anesthesia, which includes rotator cuff surgery, poses a slight risk of stroke, heart attack, pneumonia, or blood clot. Damage to adjacent nerves and blood vessels. One study found that 1 to 2\% of patients going through rotator cuff surgery experience nerve damage.

Why is rotator cuff surgery so painful?

The other major reason patients have pain after rotator cuff surgery is due to stiffness of that shoulder. It is common after rotator cuff surgery to have some stiffness due to the fact that the operation caused the arm to be held without motion for some time.

How bad is the pain after rotator cuff surgery?

Patients who are recovering from rotator cuff surgery know all too well that surgery on the shoulder is often painful. Some patients have very little pain after shoulder surgery, but most have significant pain for a few days to a few weeks.

How long should you sleep in a recliner after rotator cuff surgery?

If you can, sleep in a recliner, or reclined position up to a couple weeks after your surgery. If you don’t have a recliner, you can use pillows on the couch or in bed.

Is shoulder surgery considered major surgery?

Shoulder surgery is a common but major surgery with serious risks and potential complications. You may have less invasive treatment options.

What are complications of shoulder surgery?

General complications of any operation:

• Pain, which happens with every operation.
• Stiffness after shoulder surgery is not uncommon and can occur in approximately 10\% of people.
• Bleeding during or after surgery (<1\%).
• Infection of the surgical site (wound)(<1\%).
• Unsightly scarring of the skin (<1\%).