Rotator Cuff Surgery

[i Phad]

Husband is considering rotator cuff surgery. MRI results back today and it's a focal full tear of the supraspinatus. His doctor says those don't heal on their own as opposed to partial tears (though we've found documentation on the web that says this is not always true). Not excited about surgery at this point, just a lot of ice and physical therapy.

 

He gets Medicare next year which means the costs will be minimal here in the States. But if surgery becomes absolutely necessary in coming months, would like to know some doctor's names and costs. He would bring the MRI disc with him.

 

Not looking at places like Bumrungrad, or Pattaya. If you have had a good experience with a surgeon at a government hospital, would especially love that info.

 

Thanks!

[scubascuba3]

check success rate also, i think i had partial tear, UK consultant said 50\50 so i decided to leave it and it's been mostly ok the last few years

[Sheryl]

The best shoulder specialist in Thailand is at one of the hospitals you don't want to go to. Likely cost somewhere in the realm of 400k baht.

 

To get this done at a government hospital there will be a long wait list, possibly many, many months. He would probably get it done in the US sooner. Another consideration with government hospitals is the language barrier (with nurses, clerical staff etc, not the doctor, but you really do need a Thai speaker to help you navigate through the system on at least first visit) and that interns/residents may provide a lot of  the actual care.

 

If you want to try, I suggest one of these at Chulalongkorn;

 

Prof. Pongsak Yuktanandana

Prof. Aree Tanavalee

 

Prof. Pongsak can also be seen at St Louis Hospital, which costs less than Bumrungrad etc but still much more than a government hospital.

 

 

[BestB]

Had one at Bangkok hospital in Bangkok , Dr Pornthep Mamanee. Top surgeon , good work, close up 400000 baht , physio afterwords another about 100000 baht . 
 

took about 1 year to recover , loss of movement as well. 

[cheeryble]

Dr Chanakarn

Rajivet Hosp CM

 

educated guess 200k baht

[i Phad]

On 2/26/2020 at 2:34 AM, Sheryl said:

The best shoulder specialist in Thailand is at one of the hospitals you don't want to go to. Likely cost somewhere in the realm of 400k baht.

 

To get this done at a government hospital there will be a long wait list, possibly many, many months. He would probably get it done in the US sooner. Another consideration with government hospitals is the language barrier (with nurses, clerical staff etc, not the doctor, but you really do need a Thai speaker to help you navigate through the system on at least first visit) and that interns/residents may provide a lot of  the actual care.

 

If you want to try, I suggest one of these at Chulalongkorn;

 

Prof. Pongsak Yuktanandana

Prof. Aree Tanavalee

 

Prof. Pongsak can also be seen at St Louis Hospital, which costs less than Bumrungrad etc but still much more than a government hospital.

 

 

Thanks. I am Thai and will accompany him. He also speaks a fair amount. So language won't be a problem.

 

Chulalongkorn is an excellent place to start. At the least, consultations for opinions.

[i Phad]

Thanks everyone for the input!

[gk10002000]

Just my two cents as an American here in the USA (63 now).  I had a partial tear, supraspinatus, (I was 61) but the doctor said he could not tell how much was torn from the MRI.  I had more of a frozen shoulder than I realized and some basic stretching therapy got most of my movement, maybe even all of it back.  I have not followed up with any MRI to see how the tear healed or didn't.  I feel good so I am assuming it healed well and things stayed in place.  I am an engineer that just does desk work, and did mild athletics most of my life except the last 15 years, and I was amazed to find out how many people my age at work had similar rotator cuff injuries when they were in there late 50s and they all had surgery and were doing fine.  So a word to the wise is to keep stretching and exercising to avoid these things.  They are the result of repetitive motion and weakness than suddenly that day you replace the car alternator that you used to do as a teen ager, you stress and tear the shoulder too much.

 

 

[HeijoshinCool]

Great that things worked out for you. But...

 

Got a friend who had a tear (supraspinatus) in his dominant shoulder. Surgeon said his acromion was abnormally slanted and wore out the tendon at its insertion. Recommended surgery to fix tendon and remove some bone on both shoulders from bottom of acromions. Other ortho recommended stretching and exercise to strengthen other cuff muscles. Surgeon said, don't do that!

 

Friend declined surgery, choosing mild exercise and stretching. Three years later it's a full tear, and the non-dominant arm now has a partial tear.

 

My friend now has surgery scheduled for both shoulders with the surgeon who wanted to do it years ago. Going to be a long recovery.

 

Point is, his exercising and stretching actually was what made the wear and tear increase.

[JAS21]

I am just six months after the operation. It was a complete rupture,like yours +2 other very bad tears.

 

I see the surgeon again in four days time and expect that he will allow me to play golf. I hit just a few balls in the other day all feels fine...just to test.

 

I had the operation four weeks after the problem.

 

I paid extra to have the operation done quickly. It cost me about 160,000 baht, that included one night in intensive care as I have not got a good history. Fortunately I didn’t have any problem during the operation or after.

 

Since  three months I have had Physio three times a week. I have now stopped.I had to arrange my own and used a gov. hospital.

 

it seems that the surgeon did a good job, as soon as I was discharged he showed my wife how to move my arm just a little bit every day. 
 

The worst bit was sleeping in a recliner chair,..Had to do that for 6 weeks.

 

Even in those four weeks waiting for the op there had been a 2cm retraction ... you cannot leave the operation too long.

 

I was very lucky that when I went to see the doctor the surgeon was next-door and he came in to see me...He told me it’s a must to have the operation and the MRI was arranged for the following day.

Physio is very important....by the way I am 74....ps I am now swimming 1000M crawl every day

Edited February 29, 2020 by JAS21