PhD defence B. (Brechtje) Hesseling

Below is a brief summary of the dissertation:

Healthy shoulders are essential for everyday activities such as dressing, personal care, work, and hobbies. When shoulder conditions such as osteoarthritis or cuff tear arthropathy cause pain and disability, shoulder replacement surgery can help reduce pain and improve function. Despite good outcomes, many patients feel uncertain about the surgery, recovery process, and expected results.
This thesis aimed to improve patients’ experiences before and shortly after shoulder replacement surgery by providing better information and guidance.
First, we investigated which factors predict recovery after surgery. A systematic review of studies with more than 6,900 patients showed that people who had undergone previous shoulder surgery tended to have slightly worse functional outcomes. 
We also studied pain recovery during the first eight weeks after surgery. Most patients recovered quickly, with about five out of six reporting very little pain within two weeks. Even patients with slower recovery generally reached similarly low pain levels by eight weeks.
Next, we examined patients’ expectations before surgery. Most expectations about likely outcomes were met, and patients whose expectations were fulfilled were more satisfied after surgery. Discussing both what patients hope to achieve and what outcomes are realistic may therefore improve satisfaction.
Finally, we evaluated a commonly used measure of shoulder function. A patient-based version did not provide results equivalent to the clinician-based version and is therefore not a suitable replacement. More reliable patient-reported questionnaires are available.
Overall, these findings can help healthcare professionals provide better information, reassurance, and support to patients undergoing shoulder replacement surgery.