Doctors Develop Shoulder Repair Option

Rotator cuff tears are a common source of pain and disability among those over 60. In fact, major tears are often considered hard to fix by doctors, or even irreparable. Two surgeons at Southern California Orthopedic Institute (SCOI) have developed and use a procedure that repairs these badly torn muscles, which can help decrease pain and restore a person’s function.

The procedure is called GraftJacket. It can be performed using an arthroscopic technique or a traditional open approach. The GraftJacket entails suturing a healthy graft of skin from a cadaver over the top of a severe rotator cuff tear. The graft is designed to secure the rotator cuff muscle in place and stabilize the shoulder.

Drs. Joseph Burns, Stephen Snyder, Ronald Karzel, and Mark Getelman perform the GraftJacket procedure at SCOI.

“We have developed this technique ourselves and are excited about how it can help our patients,” says Dr. Burns.

Rotator cuffs are susceptible to injury as we age. The rotator cuff muscles are heavily used over our lifetime through daily activities and in athletics, and the amount of blood flow in our shoulder joints decrease as we get older. As a result, these muscles can weaken and tear.

If you experience pain in your shoulder, a rotator cuff tear could be the cause. To prevent this injury from worsening, you should see an orthopedic specialist immediately. The more damaged your rotator cuff is, the more likely you’ll need surgery.

If you have shoulder pain, contact SCOI at (877) 952-8484.

Send this Article to a Friend