Care At Home After Shoulder Surgery

How will I feel after my surgery?

• You may feel slightly nauseated, light headed, dizzy, or sleepy for 24 hours after an anaesthetic.
• You may have a slight temperature for 2 days.
• It is normal to have a slightly red swollen incision.
• It is normal to have a small amount of oozing, pink to dark red, from your incision.

When to call your doctor:

• You have fever of 101º F (38.3ºC) or higher.
• You have bright red bleeding from you incision
• You have more than a small amount of swelling around your incision.
• You have changes in your circulation, such as a change in colour from normal to white or blue, or persistent numbness or tingling in the operative arm.
• You develop an infection, e.g., increased redness, swelling and pain at your incision and/or you develop a “smelly” discharge.
• You develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea that persists after 24 hours.

For 24 hours after your surgery DO NOT:

• Drive a vehicle.
• Operate heavy equipment.
• Drink alcoholic beverages.
• Smoke.
• Make any important decisions.

• DO have a responsible adult stay with you for 24 hours.
  

What can I eat after surgery?

• Eat light foods for the first day – tea, toast, soup, Jell-O®.
• Drink extra fluids.
• If you are diabetic, follow your doctors orders for diet & medication.

Activity & Restrictions

• Continue to walk and increase activity daily.
• Continue to open/close your hand and bend your wrist.
• Do not reach, push, pull, or lift after surgery.
• Keep immobilizer or sling in place as instructed.
• Remove the sling to move your elbow 2-3 times per day. Keep your upper arm close to your body when doing this.
• Perform exercises as instructed by your doctor and physio-therapist.

Hygiene:

• Your surgeon will tell you when you may have a bath or shower.

Medication

• Pain medications will be administered to keep you comfortable.
• You may have a small catheter inserted into the shoulder joint that is connected to a pain pump. The pump administers pain medications as prescribed by your surgeon. You may take any prescribed painkillers while the pain pump is in place.
• Resume all medications as taken before the surgery unless otherwise indicated by your doctor.

Surgical Area:

• Keep are clean and dry.
• If the incision opens up, cover with a clean dressing and call your surgeon.
• If you start to have bright red bleeding that soaks through your dressing, cover with a clean cloth, apply pressure with your hand, and call your surgeon.
• If you have stitches, your surgeon will tell you if & when they should be removed.