What does the post-treatment look like?

In the so-called post-operative phase directly after the operation, the patient is taken to the recovery room. Freshly operated patients wake up here under constant monitoring of vital signs (pulse, blood pressure and respiration) from the anesthesia. After the operation, the wound must be cooled at regular intervals.

The cooling causes the vessels to contract and the swelling of the surrounding tissue is promoted. More or less severe pain can occur as a result of the procedure, so an important part of the postoperative treatment is the intake of painkillers (e.g. ibuprofen). A regular change of bandages follows, until the stitches can finally be removed after 10 to 12 days.

As long as the stitches have not been removed, the patient must take it easy on himself. However, the arm can and should then be moved directly and immobilization is not necessary. Physiotherapy and physiotherapy help to mobilize the shoulder and thus improve the movement possibilities.Regular movement of the shoulder promotes the healing of the wound and prevents the formation of new calcium deposits.

How much pain do you have after the surgery and what can you do about it?

Usually the pain after the operation is much less than the pain caused by the calcified shoulder before the operation. Arthroscopic calcification removal is a relatively small procedure, in which only two to three small incisions are made. As a result, the resulting injuries are minor and the wounds heal quickly.

After the procedure, there is an immediate improvement in symptoms, only the small surgical wounds still cause pain. Cooling with ice packs and cooling pads relieves the pain and prevents the wound from swelling. In addition, patients receive oral pain therapy with anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. ibuprofen 3 x 600 mg per day or diclofenac 2 x 75 mg per day) in the first few days after the procedure.

How long will I be unable to work after a calcified shoulder operation?

After removal of the calcium deposits in the shoulder using minimally invasive shoulder arthroscopy, patients remain in hospital for one or two days. The shoulder must then be immobilized until the stitches are removed. Until then, the mobility in the shoulder joint is significantly reduced and patients need help with everyday tasks and household chores.

After about three weeks, the wound should have completely healed and the patient can put weight on the shoulder again. The duration of the sick-leave depends mainly on the profession of the patient. Patients who work in an office will be on sick leave for about two to four weeks, whereas people who have to do heavy physical work are incapacitated for longer. In such cases, the patient can be given a sick note for up to two months after a calcified shoulder operation. In this case, it makes sense for the affected person to gradually return to work and not immediately work full-time again.