Rotator Cuff Repair

Surgery to repair a rotator cuff may be done when:

• A rotator cuff tear is caused by a sudden injury. In these cases, it's best to do surgery soon after the injury.
• A complete rotator cuff tear causes severe shoulder weakness.
• It is likely that the rotator cuff tear could worsen.
• You do not have other shoulder problems, such as arthritis.
• The rotator cuff has not improved with several months of conservative nonsurgical treatment alone (such as physical therapy).
• You need full shoulder strength and function for your job or activities, or you are young.
• You are in good enough physical condition to recover from surgery and will commit to completing a program of physical rehab.

Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.

Preparing for surgery

• You may need to shower or bathe with a special soap the night before and the morning of your surgery. The soap contains chlorhexidine. It reduces the amount of bacteria on your skin that could cause an infection after surgery.
• Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
• Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
• If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your surgery. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it. (These medicines include aspirin and other blood thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
• Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
• Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don’t have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It’s a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.

Rotator cuff repair surgery is done to fix a tear in the rotator cuff. It can also include cleaning the space between the rotator cuff tendons and the shoulder blade. This is called subacromial smoothing.

You will feel tired for several days. Your shoulder will be swollen. And you may notice that your skin is a different color near the cut (incision). Your hand and arm may also be swollen. This is normal and will start to get better in a few days.

It will be several months before you have complete use of your shoulder and arm. When you have healed from surgery, you will need to build your strength and the motion of your joint with rehabilitation (rehab) exercises. In time, your shoulder will likely be stronger, less painful, and more flexible than it was before the surgery.