Shoulder surgery typically produces fantastic results, but that doesn’t mean that any person with a shoulder issue is a candidate for a corrective procedure. In fact, there are plenty of instances where your surgeon will flat out tell you that surgery is not currently on the table. But what are some of the reasons why a surgeon may say “no” if you ask about a surgical correction? In today’s blog, we explain why a shoulder surgeon may say no to a corrective procedure.
When Shoulder Surgery Isn’t The Answer
Let’s explore some of the reasons why your shoulder surgeon may advise against surgery for your shoulder issue.
- Haven’t Tried Conservative Care – Many shoulder conditions respond well to non-operative techniques like rest, stretching, exercise, physical therapy or corticosteroid injections. These conservative treatments don’t carry some of the natural risks of surgery, like blood loss, infection or nerve damage, so if you can achieve similar results without exposing the patient to increased risk, that’s oftentimes the route the surgeon will choose to pursue at first.
- Patient Health – Your surgeon may also have concerns about the viability of surgery from a health standpoint. Patients with extra health concerns or comorbidities may be at a greater risk of complications, and the surgeon will really need to consider the risk-benefit scenario at play. Your surgeon may suggest that underlying health concerns make an operation too risky given the stakes.
- Recovery And Effort Concerns – Surgery becomes more of an option when we know that the patient has really given conservative care a strong attempt and still not achieved the right results. If there are concerns over a patient’s effort during a conservative care program, or it seems unlikely that they’ll follow through on a rehab program post-surgery, we’ll generally have a conversation about the commitment it takes to achieve the desired result. If the patient expects surgery to be a magical cure with no effort on their end, they are going to be disappointed, so to avoid this disappointment, we need to ensure a patient is willing to put in the work needed to achieve the desired outcome. Once they realize this, oftentimes they can make substantial gains with a conservative care program.
- Is The Outcome Worth It? – Finally, we may tell a patient that surgery really isn’t on the table yet because their discomfort isn’t that severe yet. We’re not saying that only patients with extreme discomfort warrant surgery, but if the condition is only mildly or moderately uncomfortable, surgery may not be worth the effort just yet. Surgery is expensive, recovery is time consuming and it’s unlikely to restore your shoulder to pristine condition, so patients with milder symptoms may be better off finding less extensive methods of managing their discomfort.
We’re happy to have a conversation with you to find out what type of treatment may be best for your shoulder issue. For more information about shoulder conditions or a shoulder procedure, connect with Dr. Holloway and his team today. Give us a call at (865) 410-7887.
