What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

ShoulderDoctor

Home
United Kingdom
London
ShoulderDoctor

Please do get in touch today to see how we can help you. All members of the team are highly skilled and are trained to an exceptional level.

Dr Tony Kochhar has brought together a team of highly experienced healthcare professionals to ensure that you get the best treatment at a time and place convenient to you. We are a specialist team of surgeons, physiotherapists, anaesthetists, and allied healthcare professionals dedicated to delivering the highest quality care for our patients. We understand that your condition may need treatment from several fields - it's not just about surgery. We have therefore created a team of the best specialists in each field to ensure that you receive the most complete treatment from start to finish.

03/10/2025

WHAT’S ON THE OP LIST TODAY - AWAKE SURGERY

One of today’s patients had had a bad experience with general anaesthetic so had her op “awake”.

This is where surgery is performed under local rather than general anaesthetic. We numb only the shoulder rather than giving a general anaesthetic so the patient isn’t put to sleep but can rather be awake throughout their surgery.

The patient has minimal post-op pain. The time in the recovery room is reduced to approximately 30mins with almost no post op nausea or vomiting.

These are big steps forward for patient confidence in operations where the fear of general anaesthesia traditionally caused almost as much anxiety as the operation itself.

The advantages of “awake surgery” are:

- no risk of a general anaesthetic
- minimal post-op pain
- no side effects from an anaesthetic (post-op nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, confusion)
- minimal, if any requirement for post-op opioids
- patients can start immediate post-op physio

Some patients don’t like the idea of being fully awake to watch their operation from start to finish and for these patients we offer sedation as an alternative.

Any questions? Please ask below 👇

20/09/2025

WHEN A SUBACROMIAL DECOMPRESSION REVEALS A SUBSCAP TEAR

Interesting op list today. I had three “subacromial decompressions” which is a type of surgery I don’t do very often. Nowadays we try to recover patients who would otherwise have needed a subacromial decompression with non-surgical measures. These patients had all had extensive conservative treatment and just weren’t recovering so opted for surgery.

As you can see from one of the examples, the patient had a subscap tear which was not evident on scanning but is evident when you internally and externally rotate the shoulder during arthroscopy. It wouldn’t have shown on MRI as it’s not a dynamic scan and not on ultrasound either as we press down on it to scan it and the tear is therefore masked.

This was an interesting list and all three patients should go on to a full recovery.

Any questions? Please ask below 👇

12/09/2025

WHAT’S ON THE OP LIST TODAY - BICEPS TENODESIS

Today’s op list included a biceps tenodesis. This patient had ruptured his long head of biceps last week. Timing is key in biceps ruptures so we managed to get him in for surgery this week.

Most people don’t need surgery after a long head of biceps rupture — in fact, many patients do really well without repair, but for this high-performing athlete, leaving it torn wasn’t an option he was comfortable with, so a biceps tenodesis was the right choice.

Sometimes, it’s not just about the tendon — it’s about listening to each patient’s goals and tailoring the plan to their lifestyle.

Any questions? Please ask below 👇

26/08/2025

Val is the most amazing person who is facing her biggest challenge yet. If you’ve learned from her, been treated by her or known her in any way you will know her spirit shines through in everything she does. Please donate what you can to get her home.

16/04/2025

WHEN SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT A LIPOMA?

This case is all about a lipoma. The video is of a lipoma I recently excised from a patient (shared with their permission). This appeared over the last couple of months and this patient rightly came along to get it checked out. We scanned it to assess what it was before discussing options and the patient opted to have this excised. It was of course sent off to pathology to get it checked post-op as we always do.

This condition is fairly common, affecting about 1% of the adult population. They are benign lumps of fat cells under the skin most commonly seen in adults between 40 and 60 years old. These lumps are usually soft and painless and if left are usually benign.

🚩 When to check them:

1️⃣ If they start hurting or limit movement.
2️⃣ If they grow rapidly.
3️⃣ If they’re very large (over 2 inches).
4️⃣ If new ones appear, especially after age 40.
5️⃣ If they’re deep within muscles or tissues.

While most lipomas are harmless, the signs above are worth a medical checkup.

14/03/2025

SLOW PROGRESS IS BETTER THAN NO PROGRESS

Recovering from shoulder surgery can feel like a long road, but every small step counts. Whether it’s regaining range of motion, building strength, or simply reducing pain, consistency is key.

Post-op physio isn’t about rushing—it’s about steady, controlled progress to protect your repair and achieve the best long-term outcome. Trust the process, stay patient, and celebrate the small wins. Your shoulder will thank you later!

If you’ve had shoulder surgery, please share your post op recovery experience 👇.

12/02/2025

PRP vs. Corticosteroid for Shoulder Pain: What Works Better?

This study compared Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections to corticosteroid injections for treating rotator cuff tendinopathy.

Here’s what they found:

✅ PRP provided better pain relief and improved shoulder function over 12 months.

✅ PRP patients reported higher satisfaction and better sleep quality compared to corticosteroid patients.

✅ The failure rate needing another injection) was lower in the PRP group (12% vs. 30%).

The study concludes: PRP injections are a superior, long-lasting solution for rotator cuff tendinopathy.

In my practice we use both steroid and PRP injections but it will be interesting to see how clinical practice evolves over time.

What has your experience been of PRP? Please share below 👇

07/02/2025

Best of luck to for the vacant British and Commonwealth titles this Saturday!

15/11/2024

VASCULAR RETURN - WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT AFTER SURGERY?

This is a not-very-good picture of my hand after I had shoulder surgery. You can see the effect on my skin of being in a sling - even though I was moving regularly to maintain passive range of motion.

Vascular return is the process of blood flowing back to the heart. Strong vascular return helps deliver vital nutrients and oxygen to the skin and tissues, which aids in healing and recovery.

**How It Affects Skin Health:**

Post-surgery, the skin around the surgical site requires more oxygen and nutrients to repair itself. Proper vascular return helps ensure blood flows efficiently to these areas, promoting optimal healing, reducing swelling, and minimizing scarring.

**The Autonomic Nervous System:**

After surgery, the autonomic nervous system—responsible for managing involuntary functions like blood flow—may shift. This can sometimes lead to changes in blood circulation to the upper limbs, impacting skin healing. Supporting vascular return helps counterbalance these changes, ensuring the surgical site receives the oxygen and nutrients it needs for smooth recovery.

**Supporting Vascular Return:**

Following post-op guidelines like gentle movements and elevation (as directed by your rehab team) can improve blood flow, promoting better healing for the skin and tissues.

**Take Care of Your Recovery:**

Every small step—whether it’s movement, posture, or simply elevating your arm—plays a role in your skin’s healing journey after surgery.

If you’ve had surgery did you experience any of these skin changes? Please share your experience below 👇

12/11/2024

HOW MUCH PAIN WILL I BE IN?

One of the questions patients often have (but I wonder how many actually ask!) is how much pain they will be in post op.

Pain is of course subjective but having an operation is bound to be painful - not only have you had an incision, in most cases you have had invasive surgery. You should expect for it to be painful.

However, the job of a good surgical team is to minimise your post op pain and certainly complete pain relief in the immediate post op period is our aim.

The pain relief journey starts at the beginning of the surgery when you will be given an interscalene block. Just like an epidural, this works by numbing the nerves which allow you to feel pain around the shoulder. I’m lucky to work with anaesthetists who are experts in their field and will target this block to numb sensation but NOT movement - a dead hand is somewhat disconcerting even if it means you can’t feel pain!

The block lasts for the course of the surgery and for about 24 hours post-op. When that wears off, a patient can be hypersensitised to pain which can be quite severe. In the chart this is shown as the “cliff edge” decline in pain relief (dark blue line). The trick is to keep ahead of the pain. Post op pain medication is prescribed and given to you before you go home. The
best advice I was given when I had surgery was to take “home” painkillers (TTO) before I left the hospital even if I didn’t think I needed them.

People often think that taking some Ibuprofen or Paracetamol will not make any difference, but different painkillers work in different ways and basic pharmacology tells is that the sum of their effect is greater than the individual parts.

I was able to manage my post-op pain by:

1. Making sure I started take home medication before I left the hospital

2. Not skipping a dose

3. Reducing my dosage and discussing with my pharmacist what I could reduce and replace with different medication, and

4. Discussing my pain with my physiotherapist who was able to help reduce it by various other methods - it’s not always about pharmacology!

If you’ve had surgery what was your experience?

11/11/2024

TYPES OF CLAVICLE FRACTURE:

1️⃣ Midshaft Fractures: The most common type, usually occurring in the middle part of the clavicle.
2️⃣ Distal Fractures: Occur closer to the shoulder, sometimes affecting ligaments.
3️⃣ Medial Fractures: Least common, occurring near the center of the chest.

When Surgery is Needed:

In some cases, clavicle fractures heal well on their own. However, surgery may be recommended if:
* The bones are severely displaced or shortened.
* There’s a compound fracture (bone breaks through the skin).
* The fracture impacts nerve or blood vessel function.

Non-Surgical Treatment:

* Rest & Immobilisation: A sling or brace is used to keep the shoulder stable.
* Pain Management: Pain medications and ice help with initial discomfort.
* Physical Therapy: After initial healing, exercises help restore strength and motion.

Recovery Time:

* Non-Surgical: Typically, it takes 6-12 weeks to heal with rest and gradual movement.
* Surgical: Recovery may extend to 3-6 months, depending on the complexity and rehabilitation progress.

The journey to recovery can feel long, but with the right care, most patients regain full strength and mobility in their shoulder.

Any questions? Please ask below 👇

Address

27 Tooley Street
London
SE12PR

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442033013750

Website

http://www.shoulderdoctor.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when ShoulderDoctor posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to ShoulderDoctor:

Featured

Help Mind Body

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in London?