The two dressings
After either an anatomic or a reverse total shoulder replacement, two dressings are placed over the skin incision. A Prineo dressing sits directly on the incision, and a second dressing, usually a honeycomb type, goes on top. They are applied separately so that the top layer can be removed without disturbing the Prineo underneath.
How to manage them
- Approximately 7 days after the operation, the honeycomb dressing should be removed.
- Leave the Prineo dressing in place until it starts to fall off, then remove it.
Showering
Both dressings are waterproof. You can shower with the honeycomb dressing in place, and you can shower with the Prineo in place once the honeycomb dressing is off. Getting both of them wet in the shower is acceptable.
Watch how it is done
The video below shows removal of the honeycomb dressing, with the Prineo dressing left intact.
Our thanks to the patient who allowed this video to be recorded one week after a reverse total shoulder replacement.
About the bruising
The video shows extensive bruising down the arm. This is normal. Blood tracks down through the tissues under gravity, and the bruising fades on its own within a few weeks. It is common after any shoulder operation and nothing needs to be done about it.
About the dressings themselves
Prineo is an occlusive dressing that seals the incision. It guards against bacteria from outside that could cause infection, and it adds strength to the closure. Published testing reports that wounds closed with Prineo alone are at least 30 per cent stronger than wounds closed with sutures alone. The wound shown in the video was closed with subcuticular Monocryl sutures as well as Prineo. Prineo is made by Johnson & Johnson.
The honeycomb dressing is an Opsite dressing made by Smith & Nephew. The wound can be seen through it, which makes it easy to assess, and it is low allergenic.
Your sutures
No sutures need to be removed. The Monocryl sutures sit under the skin and dissolve on their own.
Related pages
More patient videos and the recovery guides for each operation are on the rehabilitation page.
These instructions are general guidance for patients of Dr Kenneth Cutbush. Your own instructions may differ depending on your procedure. Always follow the advice given to you by Dr Cutbush and your physiotherapist. If something does not look or feel right, contact the rooms on (07) 3063 5500.
