The Recuperation of Patients After Elective Shoulder Surgery Observational Cohort Study

Around 6400 shoulder surgeries are performed yearly in Finland. The procedure is mainly day-case surgery and the patients go home in the afternoon. Shoulder surgery is one of the most common procedures performed in private surgical practices. Because of the complex nature of the joint, the recovery may be complicated by severe opstoperative pain, which is relieved with strong opioids. Recently this has been addressed in the literature, as prescribed opioids too often lead to substance abuse. Pain in the acute phase after surgery is one of the common risk factors for persistent postoperative pain, which is a major burden for both the individual patient and the society.

In this prospective, observational cohort study we aim to describe current standards of practice in planning and taking care of anaeshtesia and prescribing opioids and adjuvants for postoperative pain relief at home.

The data is collected prospectively from the care provider and the patient in a webrobol questionnaire at three time points: the day of surgery (care provider), one week after surgery (patient) and three months after surgery (patient).

Inclusion criteria

• 18-85 years
• speaks and reads Finnish fluently
• has access to internet and email
• Undergoes elective shoulder surgery

Exclusion criteria

• persistent pain in an area other than the shoulder in question
• longterm pain medication for any other purpose than the shoulder in question
• schitzophrenia
• diabetes mellitus with complications