Citation

McClelland D, Paxinos A, Dodenhoff RM. ANZ J. Surg. 2005; 75(9): 747-749.

Affiliation

Upper Limb Unit, Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust, Apley Castle, Telford, Shropshire, United Kingdom. d.mcclelland@talk21.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1445-2197.2005.03529.x

PMID

16173985

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the return to work and return to driving of a cohort of patients undergoing arthroscopic subacromial decompressions +/- arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint excision. METHODS: Arthroscopic subacromial decompressions +/- arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint excision were performed in 68 patients between February 2000 and November 2000. All patients had symptoms of subacromial impingement +/- acromioclavicular joint arthrosis for more than 6 months that had not settled with conservative treatment. All had positive local anaesthetic injection tests. All patients were followed up at 3 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Their Constant-Murley score was measured preoperatively and at 3 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Patients were asked to record when they had returned to work and when they had returned to driving. RESULTS: Only one non-manual worker did not return to work within 6 weeks. Eighty-five per cent of manual workers returned to manual work within 3 months. Fifty-one patients held driving licences. The average time to return to driving was 28.9 days. Average preoperative Constant-Murley scores were 47.5 (20-67). At 3 weeks postoperation average Constant-Murley scores were 66.8 (40-92), and at 3 months 76.5 (48-99).