Patient education: Shoulder arthroscopy – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is shoulder arthroscopy? — Shoulder arthroscopy is a type of "minimally invasive surgery." During the procedure, the doctor looks at the joint to see what is causing a shoulder problem (figure 1). They can also use special tools to repair or remove tissue in the shoulder.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

For the first 24 hours:

●Do not drive or operate heavy or dangerous machinery.

●Do not make any important decisions or sign any important papers.

●Do not drink alcohol of any kind.

You should also:

●Prop your shoulder on pillows if your doctor suggested it. Keeping it above the level of your heart can help lessen pain and swelling.

●Ice to help ease pain and swelling.

•Place a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel over your shoulder. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Use for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery.

●Follow all of your doctor's instructions about moving your shoulder after surgery:

•You might need to wear a sling or brace to support your arm or to limit shoulder movement. Ask your doctor how long you need to wear the sling or brace.

•You might have to limit how you use the arm where you had surgery. You might have to limit arm movements or how much weight you can lift. Talk to the doctor about how you can move your arm and how much weight you can lift with it.

•In a few days, your doctor might have you start to gently stretch your shoulder, use your arm more, or lift more weight with it. They might give you exercises to do as your shoulder heals. They might also suggest that you have physical therapy.

•Avoid heavy lifting, sports, and swimming for a period of time. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to avoid these or other activities.

●Take care of your incision – You might have stitches, skin staples, surgical glue, or a special skin tape on your incision. If you had minimally invasive surgery, you might have more than 1 incision.

•Keep your incisions dry and covered with a bandage for the first 1 to 2 days after surgery. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep your incisions dry.

•Once you no longer need to keep your incisions dry, gently wash them with soap and water whenever you take a shower. Do not put your incisions underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake. This can slow down healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.

•After you wash your incisions, pat them dry. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to put an antibiotic ointment on them. They will also tell you if you need to cover them with a bandage or gauze.

•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your incisions or bandages.

●Use a stool softener to help prevent constipation, if needed. This is a common problem if you take opioid pain medicines. Follow all instructions for taking your pain medicines.

●Take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve). These can be used instead of opioids.

What follow-up care do I need? — The doctor will want to see you again after surgery to check on your progress. Go to these appointments.

If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will usually want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks. Some stitches absorb on their own and do not need to be removed. If the doctor used skin glue or skin tape, it will fall off on its own. Do not pick at it or try to remove it yourself.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●You have worsening redness or swelling around your incisions.

●You have any fluid draining from the wound, including pus, blood, or watery fluid, especially if it has a bad smell.

●Your pain or swelling is getting worse.

●Your hand or fingers are blue or gray, and numb.

●You can't lift any weight with your arm, your shoulder "locks" in place, or your shoulder "gives out."

More on this topic

Patient education: Shoulder arthroscopy (The Basics)
Patient education: Shoulder pain (The Basics)
Patient education: Shoulder impingement (The Basics)
Patient education: Shoulder replacement (The Basics)
Patient education: Frozen shoulder (The Basics)
Patient education: Rotator cuff injury (The Basics)
Patient education: Separated shoulder (The Basics)
Patient education: Bursitis (The Basics)

Patient education: Shoulder impingement syndrome (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Frozen shoulder (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Rotator cuff tendinitis and tear (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Acromioclavicular joint injury (shoulder separation) (Beyond the Basics)