relievepilot

Hello All,

I am a cargo pilot and I have a problem and if somebody has some advise or experience, please let me know..?!

This week I have visited my doctor and got the result. Chronic shoulder luxation (i.a.w. chronic arm dislocation) I need surgery and it means at least 6 months of no flying and maybe even a complete refusal of a flight medical. It sucks.... understatement of the year. So next is a MRI scan of which surgery I need.

Anybody with tips or do's or don'ts?

Thanks for your reply

homonculus

I am really going to stick my neck out so here goes

Nobody is telling you you have to have an operation. It is merely a recommendation. IMHO the results are variable and poor and as you say you need months of active rehab

The alternative is conservative treatment

All depends on your symptoms, the disability and the recommendations but I would get at least three opinions, demand the surgeon does nothing but shoulders, and think carefully

Good luck

Rory Dixon

Homunculus is spot on. And first do your MRI before contacting other specialists, it allows them to fully understand your situation.

relievepilot

Thank you for your response. The problem is that JAR-FCL3 reads that if you have a chronic shoulder dislocation you need surgery. This is what the AME told me "come back after your surgery".

So that is a problem, the second problem is: My shoulder is very unstable two nights ago I woke up because it was dislocated. It really is a serious problem.
Nevertheless I will go for a second opinion and see what they will tell me. I am really afraid to loose my medical permanently!
Again thank you for your tips and I will certainly try to follow them, however the conservative method might be not a solution. I will ask the AME as well if this is a possibility.

@homonculus, It sounds like you've got experience with the surgery and the recovery process? Will the armfunction be completely back after surgery and will it be possible to press buttons on the overhead panel etc.

homonculus

Relievepilot

Yes you may well need surgery with the aldditional information. Try to get advice from a surgeon who really does specialise in this area. Happy to advise

As I suspect you know from your question, it can remain difficult to raise the arm after surgery, and although active physio helps some patients never mange to get the arm rut up for playing golf or handling an overhead panel. In addition many find a lot of arm movement such as gardening is painful, although most pilot inputs involve relatively small hand movements

Grounded Pilot

Hi,

I had a bankart repair (via keyhole surgery) on my right shoulder about 6-7 years ago. Full range motion was regained, but the physio is intense and painful. Don't skip any physio if you get the operation. My shoulder was pretty well as you have described. Had woken during the night with sub-luxation numerous times. Reaching behind to raise the sun visor would sometimes "pop" it as well. (Was only a problem from the RH seat!).

I pretty well had to have surgery on the RH shoulder, and my LH shoulder was almost as bad. Long recovery process is something I didn't want to go through again, so with my LH shoulder I started doing light weights and slowly built up the muscle being very strict with technique. Consequently my LH shoulder is now much more stable and I'm hoping I won't ever need surgery on this side. Don't know if this is an option for you re. the JAR.

Bottom line is that with continued weight training, both my shoulders are much more stable, but I'm wary of sports which might dislocate either one.

relievepilot

@Grounded Pilot.

I hope your name is not your actual situation??

Thanks for your reply and advise. I just got the call from my surgeon and she told me it can be done via a Bankart op.
I am starting to get really nervous here to be honest, also because I do not know how my AME (read JAR FCL 3) is going to deal with it if my arm function is not back at the fullest. So this is my fear... what if my arm function is not going to be completely back? How will they deal with this.

All in all a lot of concerns and I hope it is going to be ok. For now I start to become a bit depressed to be honest. Being at home and not allowed to fly..!!! I also wonder how my employer is going to deal with this in the long run, because what can you do with a pilot who cannot fly....??