Clicking after surgery?
Sometimes the suture ends can be prominent for 6-8 weeks, which will make a slight click with movement.
What do Bone Anchors look like?
They are made of metal or bio-compatible plastic.
Biceps muscle wasting after tenotomy?
The wasting improves with activity, but it will always be deficient in the top half.
Do the stitches dissolve?
No, they are permanent.
Can I take Aspirin after my surgery?
Yes  - but you will get more bruising if you take a blood thinner within 7-10 days of your surgery. You must take blood thinners if you have had significant cardiac or stroke events.
Does the tendon stick to the bone?
Yes - but your body provides the glue at a rate dependent on your general health and age.
How tight is the repair?
​Very tight - it is under significant tension at the completion of your surgery, with your arm at 45 degrees away from your side.

1. Infection - smokers have 4 times more infections that non-smokers. The infection rate for shoulder arthroscopy is likely to be 0.3% or 3 per thousand procedures. Unfortunately if this occurs, further surgery is required and the repair will need to be re-done once the infection is controlled.
2. Re-tear occurs in  10 - 20%, but is usually associated with a fall
3. Pain after surgery - pain is a multi-factorial experience, and the body remembers pain for a long time after an injury has settled.
Most patients take pain relief for 1-2 weeks after surgery, but some patients can require pain relief for months.
4. Stiffness / frozen shoulder - there is always some stiffness after a SLAP repair, which can take 12 months to settle - particularly into external rotation.
5. Biceps tendinitis - some patients have pain associated with their biceps tendon as it passes over the front of the shoulder, after surgery. This can settle with time, but some patients request steroid injections to help them. Simple anti-inflammatories may be sufficient.