Shoulder Manipulation Under Anesthesia

Pain Medication

Most of our patients are prescribed a short supply of an opioid narcotic pain medication to help ease their pain post-surgery. This medication, if prescribed, has been sent to your preferred pharmacy. The pain is usually the worst the first few days, and usually by the 3rd day, the pain eases up significantly. It is very important that you only take the opioid pain medication prescribed to you as directed, and only if needed. Besides addiction, one of the side effects of opioid narcotic medications is constipation. We recommend that you take a stool softener when taking this medication. Should you not need to take the opioid pain medication, our recommended medication for pain relief is Tylenol. It is recommended that you consult with your Primary Care Physician prior to taking any medications to ensure the medications are safe for you to take.

Ice

You can ice the shoulder for up to 20 minutes at a time, multiple times per day. You may ice over top of your surgical dressing and may continue icing your shoulder once you have been instructed to remove your surgical dressing. Avoid getting your wound wet. Take care to never apply ice directly to your skin. Always use a barrier between the skin and ice, such as a thin cloth.

Sling and Physical Therapy

Wear your sling and start Physical Therapy IMMEDIATELY. Take your Physical Therapy script with you to your first appointment. Please call our office for a list of recommended Physical Therapists should you not already have one.

Surgical Dressing and Showering

You may remove your surgical dressing and begin showering 48 hours after surgery. Please use CAUTION! Be careful not to slip and fall. The effects of anesthesia and/or medication may make you drowsy or light-headed. You will see a few areas that contain stitches once you remove your dressing. These are ok to briefly get wet while in the shower. While in the shower you must keep your arm across the front of the body as if it were still in the sling. Once you are done showering, pat the wound dry (no scrubbing), cover the stitches with a Band-Aid, and put back on your sling. Do not soak in a bathtub, hot tub, or pool until otherwise directed. Try to avoid sweating as it increases your risk for infection.

Nausea

It is common to get nausea after surgery usually from the result of your anesthesia. Start with drinking fluids such as Ginger Ale, then if tolerated, progress with a light soup and simple foods such as bread. Then if tolerated, you can resume a normal diet.

Sleeping

You will most likely have difficulty sleeping in the first few weeks after surgery. Most people find it more comfortable to sleep in a more upright position, like 45 degrees up. You can either sleep in a recliner chair or create this position with pillows.

First Post-Operative Appointment

Your first post-operative appointment should be scheduled for 7-10 days after your surgery. You should call our office to schedule your appointment if you haven’t already done so.

Driving

Driving is something that is based purely on your ability to safely drive your car. In general, it is better to be safe than sorry, and only drive when you think you can be in complete control of your vehicle. You should furthermore never drive while taking the pain medication prescribed to you.

Common Concerns

• Bruising and/or swelling of the affected limb will continue to develop and may change colors (Blue to green to yellow) as time goes on. Gravity can pull the bruising and swelling downward into the fingers.
• Numbness or tingling of the affected limb after surgery is common. This can be secondary to effects of the nerve block and irritation of nerves due to swelling.
• A sudden rush or feeling of fullness with pain when going from sitting to standing of the affected limb is common after surgery.
• Use of the hands to open/close or to write or type is fine. Do not use the affected extremity to weight bear or carry anything greater than a pen.

Speaking to Dr. Lee after surgery

Dr. Lee or someone from his team will reach out to you by phone after surgery. Please call 212-737-3301 and request to have Dr. Lee paged if you do not hear from Dr. Lee by 9:00 PM or miss his call.

Patient Portal

A great option for contacting our team is through the NY Orthopedics Patient Portal. If you haven’t already registered, you may do so by heading to https://www.newyorkorthopedics.com and clicking on “Patient Portal Log In” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You should then click the link “Sign up today” and follow the instructions to create your account.