Patient/Physio info

Dr. Nimesh Jain will review the scan results and then discuss the available treatment options for your problems. Treatment options could include steroid injections, physiotherapy, or surgery, depending on your clinical condition. If you decide to proceed with surgical treatment, you will be provided with all the information about the procedure, including its pros and cons, post-operative rehabilitation, and recovery time. You will need to sign a consent form for the planned surgery if you choose to go ahead. You will also have the opportunity to take time to think about the surgery and return to the clinic at a later date if necessary.

Dr. Nimesh Jain will arrange your surgery date, and the hospital will contact you closer to the agreed date to arrange a pre-operative check-up. For minor procedures, this may be a telephonic conversation, while for more complex cases, it will be a formal assessment by a specialist nurse who will organize appropriate tests based on your general health. These tests typically include a blood test, an ECG (tracing of your heart), and skin swabs. If any special tests are needed, you will be directed accordingly. The preoperative team will work closely with the anesthetic team and Dr. Jain to ensure that all necessary tests are performed satisfactorily and that your general health is optimal before your scheduled surgery date.

The hospital will also inform you about the arrangements for your surgery, which will be scheduled at a mutually agreed location, either at the BMI Alexandra Hospital or the BMI Highfield Hospital.

The hospital will inform you of your approximate arrival time. You must not eat, drink, or chew gum for six hours before the surgery. Clear drinks (water or black tea) may be allowed up to two hours prior, but this should be confirmed with the anesthetist. Take your usual medications (unless advised otherwise) on the morning of surgery with a small sip of water. Remove jewelry, including rings, from the arm to be operated on to prevent infection and avoid constriction due to post-surgery swelling.

Upon arrival, the nursing staff will assess you and go through a checklist to ensure everything is in place for your safety and comfort. Dr. Nimesh Jain and the consultant anesthetist will see you on the day, confirm the procedure, and finalize the surgery arrangements. Dr. Jain will mark your limb and re-confirm the procedure. The theatre personnel will then escort you to the operating theatre, where the consultant anesthetist and the theatre team will greet you. They will perform a routine safety checklist to confirm your identity, type of surgery, and the surgery site.

The appropriate anesthetic, typically a general anesthetic, will be administered by injecting a liquid through a cannula (a thin plastic tube) inserted into a vein, usually on the back of your hand. The anesthetist may also offer a nerve (interscalene) block injection as part of the anesthetic procedure. This is a small ultrasound-guided injection in the lower neck, given after you are asleep, that numbs the shoulder and arm, providing excellent pain relief during and for several hours after the operation. As a result, you will have little or no sensation and strength in your arm until the nerve block wears off, so it is important to keep your arm in the sling. The anesthetic team will stay with you throughout the procedure to ensure your safety and comfort.

Following surgery, the specialist recovery nurse and the consultant anesthetist will move you to the recovery room adjacent to the operating theatre where they will monitor you and ensure your comfort with adequate pain relief. Once your general condition is optimal, you will be transferred to the ward to allow for full recovery. You will need to wear a sling to support your arm after the surgery, and the duration depends on the type of procedure. In some cases, you may need to wear the sling even at night. Nursing staff will advise you on how to care for your arm in the sling.

A physiotherapist will review you in the ward and guide you on the exercises to perform after surgery. Following shoulder arthroscopic surgery, there will be a large absorbent dressing over your shoulder, which can be removed after 24 hours. The actual wound will be covered by a small dressing, which should not be changed unless it becomes wet. To reduce the risk of wound infection, keep the surgical site dry for the first two weeks after surgery. The length of your hospital stay can vary from a few hours to a few days, depending on the complexity of the surgery, your general health, and your post-operative recovery. Painkillers will be prescribed for you to take home, and the wound dressing is usually removed in the clinic after two weeks.