Patient care
You have your first appointment with your surgeon, Doctor Philippe Collin. In the vast majority of cases, your GP sends a letter setting out your medical and surgical history and the anamnesis (history of the condition), together with any treatments you may have received. This letter is accompanied by additional examinations — at a minimum X-ray and ultrasound, sometimes a CT-arthrogram or MRI.
The aim of this first consultation is to take stock of your pathology, reviewing your full history through detailed questioning, a comprehensive clinical examination of your joint mobility, testing of your tendons and muscles, laxity examination, and the use of clinical scores to objectively quantify your discomfort.
This clinical examination, together with the analysis of your additional tests, will allow Doctor Philippe Collin to propose tailored care: rehabilitation, corticosteroid injections, further investigations and/or, in some cases, a surgical indication right away (recurrent shoulder dislocations, traumatic rotator cuff tear, well-documented failure of properly conducted medical treatment). Sometimes a second or even third consultation is necessary to analyse the prescribed tests, look for improvement following medical treatment, and reassess the progression of your symptoms. Before any surgical decision, a period of reflection is essential, as post-operative recovery lasts several weeks or even months, requiring rehabilitation and a period off work — necessarily longer for so-called manual occupations.
Sometimes there is no alternative to surgical treatment. This decision is taken between Doctor Philippe Collin and you, in the form of an oral contract: you agree to follow the instructions you are given, so that your recovery can be as swift and straightforward as possible. This is teamwork in which you are at the heart of the care.
We do everything possible to ensure your pre-operative care, hospital stay and post-operative follow-up are optimal. Once this decision has been made, our assistants will manage your clinical pathway: appointment with the anaesthetist, with one of our physiotherapists for a pre-operative training session, and the date of surgery will be set according to our availability and your preferences.
You will also receive a booklet containing all the information about your surgery (Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement, Anatomical Total Shoulder Replacement, Rotator Cuff Repair, DAS-Bankart, Acromioplasty for Calcification) to support you throughout your care.
An operation is scheduled. This surgical procedure requires anaesthesia, with a minimum interval of 48 hours between the anaesthesia consultation and the surgery itself, except in emergencies. For this purpose, the anaesthetist will conduct a thorough review of your medical and surgical history and whether you have previously been put to sleep.
The anaesthetist will look for allergies, chronic diseases and will review your usual medication — anything that could alter the standard anaesthetic protocol. This review will be supplemented by a clinical examination including analysis of your vital signs and major physiological functions (respiratory, cardiac, etc.).
Where deemed necessary, the anaesthetist may prescribe additional tests, such as a blood test or chest X-ray. Finally, the anaesthetist may also request a specialist consultation in some cases, such as with a cardiologist. For a large number of procedures, the anaesthetist will propose regional anaesthesia combined with general anaesthesia.
This provides highly effective post-operative pain relief, as we now know that if the patient has almost no pain on waking, they will have very little pain in the following days.
This type of multimodal anaesthesia has been practised for many years at CHP Saint-Grégoire, and has enabled the development of day-case care: cuff repairs, shoulder stabilisations such as bone-blocks, and the great majority of elbow procedures no longer require an overnight stay, as pain management and anaesthesia-related issues such as nausea and vomiting are perfectly prevented.
Some of Dr. Philippe Collin’s procedures are performed at the American Hospital of Paris, a private hospital internationally recognised for the excellence of its infrastructure and the quality of its medical care. Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, on the immediate outskirts of Paris, this hospital has a state-of-the-art technical platform and highly specialised medical teams. Patients benefit from a secure hospital environment that meets the most demanding international standards of healthcare quality and safety. The hospital welcomes both French and international patients and offers hospitalisation conditions combining medical innovation, comfort and personalised support.
Dr. Philippe Collin also performs certain procedures at Clinique Victor Hugo, an institution recognised for the quality of its technical platform and its expertise in surgical care. Located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, the clinic offers a modern and comfortable setting, dedicated to patient safety and well-being. Medical and nursing teams provide attentive, personalised care at every stage of hospitalisation, from patient admission to post-operative follow-up. This setup ensures optimal conditions for surgical procedures and a smooth recovery.
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The post-operative follow-up put in place by Doctor Philippe Collin is an essential step in the success of shoulder surgery. It relies on a precise, progressive and fully individualised protocol, developed from his recognised expertise and his commitment to lasting functional outcomes. This rigorous organisation ensures a safe, structured recovery tailored to each patient’s goals.
Care is provided in close collaboration with a specialised physiotherapist from his team, notably Damien Cornevin, ensuring perfect consistency between the surgical procedure and the rehabilitation. This close coordination promotes smooth communication, constant adjustment of exercises and personalised support at every stage of recovery.
Each patient progresses at their own pace; timeframes serve as benchmarks and are systematically adapted to clinical progress, the quality of healing and functional sensations. The aim is to protect the surgical repair while gradually restoring mobility, strength and confidence in the operated shoulder.
After an anatomical total shoulder replacement, a reverse total shoulder replacement or a rotator cuff repair, as with any other procedure, rehabilitation begins early after the operation and follows a progressive dynamic. Regular reviews at the clinic allow progress to be assessed, return-to-activity stages to be safely managed, and the final outcome to be optimised.
This structured follow-up, combining surgical expertise and specialised physiotherapy supervision, is one of the key pillars of the quality of care provided, with optimal and lasting functional recovery as the priority.
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