A surprising new study suggests that getting surgery for a dislocated surgery might be a big mistake — and at the very least, it could be totally unnecessary.
In fact, unless the shoulder dislocation is severe, you’re unlikely to benefit from surgery and your recovery time may actually be longer, according to a UPI report.
In most cases, a patient dislocates what is known as the acromio-clavicular joint, which is a milder dislocation that will require a sling and some rehabilitation, but not surgery involving plates and screws.
For an AC joint dislocation, the results will likely be better if one avoids surgery altogether and lets the shoulder heal mostly on its own.
In a statement, orthopedic surgeon Michael McKee from St. Michael’s Hospital said: “For severe AC joint dislocations, surgery is the common practice, but there’s not much evidence to suggest this is actually the best treatment. … The main advantages of surgery are that the joint is put back in place and the shoulder appears more symmetrical and pleasing to the eye. The long-term implications of surgery for AC joint dislocation remain unclear when compared to non-operative treatment.”
For the study, 83 patients with dislocated AC joints were examined. Half got surgery, and the other half did not. Those that did not get surgery showed more mobility after six weeks and three months, and 75 percent were back to work at the end of that period. Only 43 percent of those who had surgery were back at work after three months.
Also, those who had surgery had major complications 7 times out of 40, compared to just two times for the nonsurgical group. And those two cases involved a fall rather than an infection or loose plate like the previous group.
But it’s not all good news. Those who didn’t get surgery were much more likely to dislike how their shoulders looked afterward, so if cosmetics are a concern, one might be willing to endure the potential complications and slower recovery rate from surgery. However, people should at least be aware that going the nonsurgical route may be better in the long run.
The findings were published in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma.