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Rotator Cuff tear

Posted , 8 users are following.

sue20431
sue20431

I had a grade 3 tear of my rotator cuff last November, crushing my shoulder between a heavy log and decking.  I had an immediate X-ray, which showed no bones broken, and had four weeks of agonising physio before I was sent for a scan.  This showed a substantial tear of the tendons from the rotator cuff.  After five months I had keyhole surgery, which failed, as the attempt to sew together the tendons was unsuccessful - decompression was carried out.  I still use my injured arm extensively, and have even scaffolded my house and replaced a loft window since the injury occurred.  My original surgeon will not carry out further surgery, and has referred me to another surgeon who also says he will not carry out another operation.  He says that if my arm is in a sling for six weeks my remaining muscles will waste, although I would have thought this would happen to anyone and could be remedied by physio.  He also says that since I can now raise my arm, in spite of pain and weakness, he is concerned that he might leave it after surgery with less movement and more weakness.  I continue to do physio, but am concerned that it may be irritating the tear.  Has anyone else any experience of this?  I was hoping to have tendon replacement or a patch.  Has anyone else of my age (a young and physically active 66) had this surgery successfully?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • jeanette05609
    jeanette05609 sue20431

    Posted

    Hi, I had a full thickness tear of the rotator cuff, a ruptured bicep and a couple of other issues, I had surgery 14 months ago, 6 weeks in a sling strapped to my waist day and night, only allowed to take it off to wash and dress and do passive exercise. Didn't have any muscle wastage. Must admit I wasn't as rigid with the physio as I should have been but after a course of acupuncture for nerve pain it was almost 100%. However I fell off my bike 3 weeks ago and dislocated my shoulder, physio thinks I have torn the cuff again but it is a 6-8 week wait for a scan, cannot move my upper arm forwards or sideways not because of pain but because the message from my brain isn't getting to my shoulder ( must have been the bang on the head ). At this point I don't know if I would have further surgery. Why did your surgery fail were you being a typical man and refusing to rest or was there another reason, my shoulder was definitely weaker after the surgery but I had full range of movement, I don't think physio will cause problems doing diy is not going to help though. If you can put up with the pain for the rest of your life then don't pursue surgery but if you can't then push for the op but you must do as you are told post surgery. By the way I am 58.
    • sue20431
      sue20431 jeanette05609

      Posted

      Hi Jeanette, thank you for your reply.  I had microsurgery, they tried to sew together the tendons but without success, they snapped during the op.  It was a horrible shock when the surgeon came round and told me it had failed!  Did you have a patch put on your shoulder, or tendon transfer?  I just cannot understand why they are so reluctant to operate again.  My other muscles have built up because I have been doing so much diy, but there still isn't the strength in my shoulder that I used to have.  Hanging up my dressing gown is difficult, as is jiving, which I used to do at least once a week.  So sorry to hear that after recovering so well you had yet another accident.  Only the scan can tell you how it has affected you, otherwise it's just a guessing game, as it was with me.  Regards, Graham
  • jeanette05609
    jeanette05609 sue20431

    Posted

    Hi, I believe they sutured the cuff with metal sutures but to be honest I didn't ask and when they speak to you after the op you are ususally too groggy to take it in, Can't believe they just left you with a failed repair, sure he wasn't a vet ! Mind you probably would have been successful if he was. What does your GP say, is it all about saving money. If it is affecting your quality of life and your jiving then something needs to be done, perhaps you should pile on the agony and not let on how much you are capable of, it really is frustrating when your head wants to do things but your body won't let you. Good luck.
    • sue20431
      sue20431 jeanette05609

      Posted

      Hi again - I've had now been seen by three surgeons in same Trust, and in spite of what seemed as though it might have been a favourable final scan, they must have misread it and have now decided the injury is too severe for the two severed tendons to be reattached.  Even though I asked if a polyester patch could be tried, I was told that it wouldn't work.  Does anyone know of anyone who has had a rotator cuff repair using a polyester patch?
    • thechefshat
      thechefshat sue20431

      Posted

      Hi Graham. I had a polyester patch last year and it had to be removed. Didn't integrate.

      Where in the world are you? This was in Leeds in the UK.

      There are many other better alternatives to Polyester patches. There is a material called GraftJacket that is derived from human skin, has been in use in most of the workd for the last five years and has really good results. The trick is finding a surgeon who uses it, but more and more are. Let me know where you are and I'll see if I can point you in the right direction.

  • thechefshat
    thechefshat sue20431

    Posted

    Hi Graham

    Yes, I've had a Polyester Patch fitted in Jan this year. Whilst not as painless as the PR read might've suggested, it's bearable so far. It scratches around a bit and rubs some of the adjacent tissue, but I'm told this will resolve.

    It's only available in Leeds however. For risk of being kicked off by the moderator, put Leeds Kuff Patch into Google. You can get this on the NHS, but my advice would be go and see the surgeon privately for a consultation and take your scan images and radiologist report with you. The Radiologist report is the most important thing.

    Good luck - reply to this thread if you have any more questions.

    Thx, NICK

  • sue20431
    sue20431

    Posted

    Thanks very much, Nick, for the very detailed information, that is so helpful.  I now have to think very hard about this, as I have been able to fully raise my arm through jiving in spite of having only two tendons, and have built up quite a bit of strength in my arm.  It's pretty unusual to find a jiver who has had this kind of injury, and the weekly therapy of dancing seems to be working!  At the beginning I had to stand on tip toe to get my arm up high enough for the woman to get under, but now it's easy.  I do still still suffer some discomfort - especially sitting and reading a newspaper, my left arm aches, but chopping up wood with a big axe is OK!  I think my advice is to keep using it as much as possible, to strengthen the surrounding muscles - use it or lose it - my tear was serious, and I am now 66, at the beginning I was very depressed but now feel there is light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to keep working at it.  I am lucky, my therapy is enjoyable!  But it's good to know that there is now a possible alternative if things should go downhill in future.  By the way, I recently went down with real 'flu, and found the injury ached terribly until the 'flu bug left my body when everything went back to normal.  Many thanks again, and good luck with your shoulder.
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