It's a shoulder washer but not what you think.
In the pic you see the screw that holds the washer or shim, and the concave joint part fixed to the shim. The shim itself is invisible in the X-ray.
The ball joint part on the arm part is invisible behind the concave part.
They first made a 3D CT scan here in my Belgium hospital and emailed that to a US firm who used it to make the part. They replaced my right shoulder Monday.
Jan
In the pic you see the screw that holds the washer or shim, and the concave joint part fixed to the shim. The shim itself is invisible in the X-ray.
The ball joint part on the arm part is invisible behind the concave part.
They first made a 3D CT scan here in my Belgium hospital and emailed that to a US firm who used it to make the part. They replaced my right shoulder Monday.
Jan
Attachments
You know how important L/R matching is...
The other thing was how they did the special sedation. The arm and shoulder is served by a thick nerve in your neck.
They wheeled a PC next to me and used a special ultrasound probe to locate that nerve to put a syringe next to it.
The syringe was wired to a pulse generator and when activated starts your arm to shake for a double check. Then they shoot a strong sedative around that nerve. Afterwards it felt as if they had remove the arm and forgot to put it back on - nothing there to feel!
They also left a tube in the wound and connected it to the painkiller pump.
If I felt like it I could push a button and shoot myself up ;-)
All engineering. Out and back home in just over 48hrs. Amazing.
Jan
They wheeled a PC next to me and used a special ultrasound probe to locate that nerve to put a syringe next to it.
The syringe was wired to a pulse generator and when activated starts your arm to shake for a double check. Then they shoot a strong sedative around that nerve. Afterwards it felt as if they had remove the arm and forgot to put it back on - nothing there to feel!
They also left a tube in the wound and connected it to the painkiller pump.
If I felt like it I could push a button and shoot myself up ;-)
All engineering. Out and back home in just over 48hrs. Amazing.
Jan
Then the perception part for those interested:
Close your eyes, move your right hand while 'looking' at it. When you open your eyes you will be pretty close. So the brain tries to keep a mental map where your parts are even if you can't see them.
When I came out of sedation, I tried to move my fingers but could not feel them. My brain insisted they were near the right edge of my chest, probably where they were when I got under. I could actually see them but not feel them so the visual positioning was not accepted, I kept trying to move them at my right side chest! Weird.
When the sedation wore off the hand moved slowly to the actual position. The thumb wore off last and at one point was perceived at the hand position but about 3 inches laterally displaced! Until a few seconds later it snapped to its proper position.
Fascinating.
Close your eyes, move your right hand while 'looking' at it. When you open your eyes you will be pretty close. So the brain tries to keep a mental map where your parts are even if you can't see them.
When I came out of sedation, I tried to move my fingers but could not feel them. My brain insisted they were near the right edge of my chest, probably where they were when I got under. I could actually see them but not feel them so the visual positioning was not accepted, I kept trying to move them at my right side chest! Weird.
When the sedation wore off the hand moved slowly to the actual position. The thumb wore off last and at one point was perceived at the hand position but about 3 inches laterally displaced! Until a few seconds later it snapped to its proper position.
Fascinating.
Last edited:
That's what I had too. Or rather on both. Right now the operated side is pretty much painless, but the other one sometimes keeps me awake!
The challenge will be the next four weeks. The procedure involved cutting a single tendon (subscapularis tendon), connected to a part that is discarded, so that tendon has to regrow and strengthen. That is the only thing that can't be used almost right away!
Jan
The challenge will be the next four weeks. The procedure involved cutting a single tendon (subscapularis tendon), connected to a part that is discarded, so that tendon has to regrow and strengthen. That is the only thing that can't be used almost right away!
Jan
You should really get someone competent look at it. I had so much wear and tear that a few more months would have made it much more difficult. In fact I need to try to keep the left one intact until it can be done too, so limiting activities and loading.
Jan
I'll give you a hand (not an arm, you just got a brand new one) to load your preamp in your car 
So far I have seen my family doctor and had some x-rays done. Have not heard from him. I really need to call and bug him...
My mother (in her mid-seventies) has a similar issue and she has been on the waiting list to see a shoulder specialist for 18 months.
That's what "free" healthcare gets us in Canada - but I can't even imagine what it would cost me somewhere else... so I will have to wait. No other choice.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.