Postoperative Instruction Sheet for Shoulder Arthroscopy

Thank you for choosing Carondelet Orthopaedic Surgeons to provide your medical care needs.

• Following your operative procedure, you will be allowed to go home with the assistance of another individual. It is recommended that you have someone stay with you the first 24 to 48 hours after being given an anesthetic. It is beneficial to have ice packs available as this will help with post-op swelling and pain control. Bags of frozen vegetables work very well. Ice your shoulder 20 minutes out of every one to two hours you are awake.
  
  
• You may move around the house to provide the basic activities of daily living. You will be placed in a sling after your surgery. If you had a Rotator Cuff or Labral repair, your sling may have an abduction pillow strapped around your waist. Feel free to adjust this at home to feel snug but not tight. You should be able to breathe freely with this on. There will also be a strap over your shoulder you may adjust to keep your arm at a 90 degree angle. You don't want your hand hanging down towards the ground. This encourages swelling in the hand. You will wear the sling 24 hours a day, except for showering, dressing and physical therapy. A therapy prescription is usually given at the first post-op visit, where motion and activity guidelines will be provided in more detail.
  
  
• We usually recommend showering after a 48 hour period. All of the dressings should be removed for showering except the strip bandages. Soap and water can run across the wounds. However, we do not want the wounds submerged or immersed below water of any kind until at least two weeks have passed. After showering, you may dry the wounds with a towel, cover them with band-aids DO NOT APPLY OINTMENTS such as Neosporin®, keep the area clean and dry. The sling may be worn on the outside of clothes. Several times a day you may gently bend and straighten your elbow to minimize stiffness. Do not move the shoulder or lift the arm to do this. Sleeping may be more comfortable in a recliner or propped up in bed. As soon as you feel comfortable you may sleep on your side or back.
  
  
• Pain medication will be given and should be administered according to the instructions on the prescription. It is usual for people to require pain medications every 4-6 hours if they are in pain. It is not unusual to experience nausea and constipation, and sometimes sedation with narcotic pain medications. If any of these are occurring to an uncomfortable level, then either cut back on the amount of pain medication you are taking or stop taking it and call your physician. A stool softener may be helpful for constipation while taking pain medications. This is an over-the-counter product, such as Colace® or Miralax®. Try to anticipate your need for pain medications during office hours if possible, as it is difficult to obtain after office hours.
  
  
• Your Anesthesiologist will discuss with you the utilization of a nerve block. This is performed to limit post-operative pain. A nerve block can last anywhere from 2-36 hours post-op. If the symptoms do not go away or the block lasts longer than 48 hours, please contact your physician. If you experience severe or prolonged shortness of breath, please go to the emergency room.
  
  
• You will need to schedule a post-op appointment ten to fourteen days after your surgery. At this appointment your sutures will be removed. Dr. Clymer will go over your surgical findings with you. Please call the office at 913-642-0200 with any questions or concerns.

PHONE 913 642 0200

11/2010