Surgery and Rehabilitation

Whilst you wait for your surgery date, there are a few things to do:

• Speak to your health fund to confirm if the hospital fee for your surgery is covered on your policy
• Speak to your anaesthetist to confirm their fees Register your details with the hospital
• Read through, complete and return your paperwork to my office
• Plan your transport to and from the hospital. You won’t be able to drive yourself home after the surgery, so make sure you have a travel plan in place
• If required, arrange any recommended pre op physio appointments
• If required, get any pre op pathology tests (e.g., blood tests)
• Use benzoyl peroxide 5% wash on your shoulder for 5 applications: twice a day for two days, and then again on the morning of the surgery. This will help reduce your risk of infection from Cutibacterium acnes.

‍

‍

• Pack a bag for your hospital stay including regular medications in the original packaging, a loose button-up shirt to wear after surgery, nightwear, personal items including toiletries. If you have sleep apnoea, you must bring your CPAP machine.
• If you are on any blood thinners, ring my office and confirm when to stop taking them before the operation.
• If you are on any diabetic tablet medications, ring your anaesthetist and confirm whether you need to stop taking them before the operation.
• Confirm your admission details with my office one to two business days prior to surgery.

Though this can seem overwhelming, you will be provided with detailed instructions on what needs to be done so your surgery journey can be as smooth as possible.

Your admission details will be confirmed one to two business days prior to surgery. You will need to make note of your admission time and your fasting time. Your admission time may be as early as 6am. If you aren’t local to Brisbane, it is usually recommended that you stay the night before in case your admission is early.

When you arrive at the hospital, you will go through the admissions process and then be taken through to the surgical waiting area. Your anaesthetist will have a short consultation with you before you go into theatre and under general anaesthetic. I will say hi to you before the surgery in the anaesthetic bay of the operating theatre and mark your operation site with you.

Your hospital stay will usually be one night. You will be discharged usually around 10am. I will see you before your discharge. I will provide you with a folder containing a detailed postoperative pack including a letter telling you what I found at surgery and exactly what I did in your operation along with information about your rehabilitation and postoperative care. Remember to have someone available to take you home from the hospital.

Following distal biceps repair surgery, the tendon needs adequate time and rest to fully heal. The elbow will need to remain immobilised, which requires full time wear of a sling for six weeks. The bicep muscle cannot be used during this time, so there can be no active elbow flexion or forearm rotational movement.  While the sling is required, no driving, work or physical activities will be possible.

Once physiotherapy is commenced, initial exercises focus on assisted movements before progressing to active range of motion and strengthening exercises.

Full recovery usually takes between three to six months.

Rehabilitation for distal biceps tendon repair surgery aims to facilitate complete healing of the tendon repair, with exercises focusing on range of motion and strengthening.

Distal biceps repair surgery is typically successful, with a high rate of patients achieving functional improvements and near-normal levels of strength, as well as a return to normal physical activities. Some patients experience loss of strength, though individual factors will influence outcomes.