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[memphisto]

Evening everybody,

 

I've been told I need, fairly urgently, an operation to repair my shoulder, again and I'm unsure whether or not to chance it.

 

I played competitive netball for many years, so this has degraded the joint, in addition I took a nasty tackle in March 2010, which broke my shoulder. I had an operation to put a pin and wire in, this worked initially but by November 2010, it needed reworking, the pins were taken out and something was done which was supposed to stop the pain and dislocating.

 

The op I had in March 2010 supposedly had a 93% success rate and mine failed, I accepted I was in the minority for this and it was just bad luck more than anything else. The op I then went for in Nov 2010 was supposed to have a 95% success rate, so I felt confident. When I came back to the ward after the op, the surgeon came around and said he was confident it was fine. A month later, it dislocated by itself, badly. Went to hospital, it was put back in and I saw the surgeon again who said he was sorry but it had failed, again. Both times I ended up in a sling for 8 weeks, not being able to do anything.

 

I sought a second opinion in March, but as I was pregnant with my daughter, the surgeon couldn't do the MRI he wanted to do, but he said even by looking at the outside of it, it wasn't right.

 

I had the MRI in September. I went back a fortnight later. The consultant was surprised at the level of extreme damage in there and he basically said he was surprised I wasn't in more pain, but I've learnt to live with it and I have quite a high pain threshold anyway.

 

He said, in his opinion, the only option was more surgery, this time involving moving a bone from my rib cage to graft into my shoulder and block the shoulder joint. He says his personal success rate is in excess of 95% but studies suggest a success rate of 83%, he was honest with me on this, which I'm grateful for.

 

I've now been given a date and part of me is excited and happy to get it sorted, the other half of me thinks this actually has, typically, a lower success rate than the others. I'd been slinged for 6 weeks, so no holding either of my kiddies but then again,, they'd both be too young to remember me being out of action for them.

 

The surgeon is lovely, I trust him, he does say if it fails, I will end up not being able to lift my arm beyond shoulder height and it can't be reversed.

 

I'm in a real quandry.......

[Redwing]

I'd be surprised if said you could lift your arm above shoulder height as it is, what a terrible time you have had

 

I guess you'd be unlucky if another operation failed

 

personally I would try it, you are obviously young so the chance of being more comfortable for the rest of your life is possibly worth the risk

 

Good luck with whatever you decide, its a tricky decision x

[soapdragon]

Oh, poor you - what a horrible time you have had . I am not a medic but do know that, statistically, the more surgery that you have the higher the failure rate due to scar tissue etc. Having said that it depends on how much worse off your surgeon thinks you will be if it fails than you are now (if you see what I mean.)

 

A tough decision but you have to trust your gut instincts; have you googled your consultant to see what his success rate is (try Dr Foster website?) Is there any way you can put this off for a while to give you more time to do some research and come to a decision?

 

All luck to you; let us know how you go!

[Patricia W]

I think I would ask for a second and even a third opinion. I have a problem with my knee and several operations have failed ( all with a lovely surgeon - I think). I've had to see the Occupational Health Physician for work and he has told me that if surgery is ever suggested again to seek other opinions first. He says surgeons have their favourite ops which may not work in every case.

 

I think you need to have your surgeon's view confirmed - or not- as the consequences are so severe.

[soapdragon]

Hi Mephisto

 

Have you seen the article in today's (Sunday) Mail in one of the supplements about shoulder surgery? Not sure if this is relevant to you but......worth a peek!

[keyhole kate]

Oh, poor you - what a horrible time you have had . I am not a medic but do know that, statistically, the more surgery that you have the higher the failure rate due to scar tissue etc. Having said that it depends on how much worse off your surgeon thinks you will be if it fails than you are now (if you see what I mean.)

 

A tough decision but you have to trust your gut instincts; have you googled your consultant to see what his success rate is (try Dr Foster website?) Is there any way you can put this off for a while to give you more time to do some research and come to a decision?

 

All luck to you; let us know how you go!

 

Exactly. The advice I would give you too

[Tweety]

What is the prognosis if you don't have the surgery? Depending on the answer to that question, I think that I would probably get a second opinion just to put my mind at rest before making a decision.

Good luck, whatever you decide.