30 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • APRIL 20, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM wellness New rotator cuff procedure helps tendons heal Th e rotator cuff is one of the most important parts of the shoulder, as it consists of muscles COVERAGE FOR SORE PARTS RACING HEARTS X-RAYS AND For the aches and pains—and those things you can’t explain—EmblemHealth off ers a choice of quality, aff ordable health insurance plans. With dental and vision benefi ts and a large network of primary care physicians and specialists, we provide the coverage you need for life’s growing pains. Find your plan at emblemhealth.com or call 1-877-411-EMBLEM. SICK DAYS. Health Plans. For Now, For Life. and tendons that hold the shoulder in place and allow the body to lift the arm and reach for items. Unfortunately, rotator cuff injuries are the most common source of shoulder pain and disability, aff ecting more than 4 million Americans annually, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. A rotator cuff injury can greatly reduce quality of life, as it makes daily activities painful and diffi cult to do. Th ose who suff er from rotator cuff disease oft en avoid surgery to repair the tear because they hear about painful, lengthy postoperative rehabilitation and time away from work. In addition, traditional procedures have focused only on biomechanical repair of the tendon without addressing the underlying biology, which can result in tears progressing and re-tears in the rotator cuff tendon aft er an initial repair. A new technology is now available that helps tendons heal by stimulating the growth of new tendon tissue. Th e Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant, which is about the size of a postage stamp, is inserted through a small incision during a short, minimally invasive procedure. Surgical staples hold the implant in place until fi bers and tendons of the rotator cuff grow into the implant. Th e fi rst-of-its-kind implant can provide a range of potential benefi ts, including shorter rehabilitation, faster recovery, prevention or slowing of disease progression, healing of partial-thickness tears, and decreased risk of developing a subsequent tear. For people like Starr Boykin, a company executive of Mobile, Alabama, the implant can be life changing. Boykin, who is also involved in competitive fi shing tournaments, was recovering from rotator cuff surgery in her right shoulder when, in physical therapy, her left shoulder began to hurt from what turned out to be another rotator cuff tear. Despite multiple surgeries on her left shoulder, pain persisted for over a year. “My doctor told me there was nothing else they could do, that I needed reverse shoulder replacement,” Boykin says. “Being a professional fi sherwoman and having already undergone serious shoulder surgeries, this really upset me. I got a second and then a third opinion, and the two other doctors told me the exact same thing.” Aft er hearing about a physician in Florida who was using the Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant, Boykin met with Dr. Christopher O’Grady at the Andrews Institute, who evaluated her case and told her shoulder replacement surgery was not her only option. “Starr was a great candidate for the Bioinductive Implant because her injury wasn’t a technical problem, it was a biology problem,” Dr. O’Grady says. “Th e implant didn’t just temporarily repair her rotator cuff , it completely healed the injury and gave her the ability to achieve functional range of motion more quickly than a traditional, more invasive surgical treatment.” Despite several previous failed rotator cuff surgeries, Boykin is making a full recovery and is back to competitive fi shing. “Aft er the surgery I felt an immediate diff erence,” Boykin says. “Aft er six months, I was back to fi shing in tournaments and paddling in my kayak. I’m so grateful for the Rotation Medical technology, which gave me full use of my arm and shoulder and has given me my life back.” For more information about the Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant or to fi nd a surgeon near you, www.rotationmedical. com. For important safety information, visit http:// rotationmedical.com/our-solution/ risks/. Courtesy BPT Fisherwoman Starr Boykin is back to fi shing in tournaments after rotator cuff surgery with the Rotation Medical Bioinductive Implant.
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