Open Bankart Repair - Recent Surgery

I had a Left Open Bankart Repair Shoulder surgery by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL on September 7th, 2006 to repair a torn labrum to a shoulder i have subluxed and dislocated various times, sailing, skiing and bodysurfing and previously repaired via Orthroscopy in 1995. I am currently three weeks into some very aggressive therapy.

By all accounts, my experience with Dr. Andrews was exceptionally good, and i trust him completely.
My status.....
I am slingless after a week (!), painkillers occasionally, back to work, sleeping on my back with a stabilizer and PTing 3 times week. I have days where work at a desk is near impossible as the pain and the discomfort rules my thoughts. I do not want to live on the Painkillers, but i dont know how to concentrate at work otherwise.

I would enjoy hearing any gimps stories or a few simple reccomendations on recovering or ways to keep the pain at bay without becoming Rush Limbaugh.....

Yesterday i tried half a vicodin instead of a full one, and eureka, pain decreased without the grogginess......and my therapy and stretching by the PT was better.

Did any of you shoulder gimps have upper back and neck issues after your dislocations? Please share if you have ......i have constant neck and upper back pain. Since my surgery it has gotten slightly better, but is still lingering. My guess would be the compensation and guarding causes this......any comments?....

You're right about the neck/upper back pain. It's most likely caused by compensating/protecting the injured shoulder and the attendant muscle cramping. You should get some kind of massage or ultrasound in conjunction with the PT to work out the knots.


After I had my shoulder done, six weeks in a sling caused my pec to practically calcify. After about 5 violent deep tissue massages from a large East German lesbian therapist and I was as good as new, though pretty scarred emotionally.

I went back for my 6 week post-op apptmnt, and i am on schedule for everything minus the continued pain and tightness in my upper back and neck. My spine guy is reccomending a epidural injection of steroid to help control the inflamation that showed up on the MRI of my spine. My therapy/exercising seems to be inflaming the area, so the more i stretch and gain ROM, the more it hurts my neck. A bit fucked up but the universal word is that this will resolve once i am full ROM.

Other than that, painkillers, advil and lots of therapy. It is amazing how far it has come along.

Snow is starting to fall and i am beginning to jones, but i think i will be good for after Jan 1, my 4 month for some groomers.....

I wanted to give everyone the positive update on my status. I have made dramatic improvements over the months. By April 2007 i took a trip to Taos, Skiied, Biked, Hiked and golfed, just to say that i did it all. I was absolutely shocked at my physical situation, my complete lack of endurance and strength. It was depressing, but with a positive attitude and a commitment to not give up i have accomplished so much since.

So after all that pain and rehab, i had to recommit to getting back i shape,lose the extra lbs and recondition myself for cardio and endurance.

In short the more physical activity i did, the better i ate the better i got. Now i am running, swimming, biking, lifting and skiing! Un fbeliveable really, considering after my surgery i was useless.

I just got back from Summit County where i did an epic 8 days of skiing. If anyone needs any advice on recurring shoulder dislocations, surgery, PT, drug usage, and getting back in form PM or email me, i would love to share....and thanks for letting me read all your posts, it was huge and it absolutely made me feel like i had support...

Hi.

Thanks for the post - it made interesting reading. Hard to find

My name is Scott and I have recently undergone athroscopic bankart repair on my troublesome left shoulder. Years of abuse through wind surfing, rugby and gym work seem to have 'knackered' it. It would be unstable and threaten to dislocate when hoisting myself out of the water / lifting weights above my head / contact sessions in training or on the rugby field.

Eventually i saw my doctor, then a surgeon and had x-rays / MRI scan and was diagnosed with a bankart lesion / glenoid problem. The operation (key hole) surgery went well - local not general aneasthetic - with anchor fitted and stitches in the tear.

All semms to have gone well 2 weeks later until I leant forward (to see my daughter rolling around on the floor) and it started to shift and threaten to dislocate. It just stopped in time, and went back in - I'm worried that I've torn the stitches or snapped the suture holding the anchor in place. Mild to moderate pain occurred....

Anyone had this happen to them? Its unlikely I'll be able to see my surgeon before the middle of next week......

:fmicon: - no reason i just like the icon

I meant to say interesting to read it from the patients (and not the doctor or surgeons) point of view...thanks again