Innovative Shoulder Surgery Offers Exciting New Option for SouthFlorida...

A breakthrough shoulder surgery is restoring function and relieving pain in people who have lost the mobility in their arm from a damaged rotator cuff, a failed shoulder replacement surgery or severe arthritis. Named reverse shoulder replacement, this innovative procedure changes the mechanics of the shoulder by reversing the normal position of the ball and socket. Dr. Steve Meadows of South Palm Orthopedics in Delray Beach is one of only a few surgeons in the South Florida area who is performing this groundbreaking new surgery.

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles and tendons that control the function of the shoulder and connects the Humerus (upper arm bone) with the scapula (shoulder blade). The risk of rotator cuff damage increases with age as the blood supply to the tendons decreases. This causes the tendons and muscles to degenerate, weaken, and become susceptible to tearing. Torn rotator cuffs can also be caused by repeated overhead movements from sports, work or traumatic injury. In many cases, the injury can be treated conservatively with anti-inflammatory medication or physical therapy or by surgically repairing the tear. In severe cases, where the tendons are torn beyond repair or severely degenerated there is often a dramatic loss of mobility and severe chronic pain. Until recently, there has been no solution for these severe cases. With the reverse shoulder replacement, this is no longer the case.

A reverse shoulder replacement offers a major advancement for those patients whose rotator cuffs no longer function and cannot be repaired, said Dr. Meadows, a leading board certified, fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in upper extremity surgery. In the cases that benefit from this procedure the tendons aren'st healthy enough to hold the shoulder ball into the socket and so a traditional shoulder replacement cannot be done. I'sve seen dramatic positive outcomes from this surgery. It truly provides an excellent option for patients who are extremely debilitated by shoulder pain and loss of function. Within weeks, my Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty patients report far less pain and much better function. I am very excited to specialize in this useful procedure and offer it to the community.

Approved by the FDA in 2004, reverse shoulder replacement had been used successfully in Europe for nearly 15 years. The surgery uses a metal and plastic implant that functions the opposite of a normal shoulder by placing the ball onto the shoulder blade and the socket onto the top of the upper arm bone. The reversed position of the ball and socket changes the mechanics of the shoulder. By changing the center of the shoulder'ss rotation, the strength needed to move the arm comes from the deltoid muscle, bypassing the non-functioning rotator cuff.

Delray Beach, Florida resident Walter Kozlin had suffered for years with debilitating shoulder pain. Despite repeated cortisone injections and other conservative treatments he continued to experience constant pain, had trouble sleeping, was limited in his activities and could not raise his arm. A talented lapidary (artisan who makes jewelry by forming and finishing stone and gemstones, Mr. Kozlin was unable to perform his craft or teach it as he had always done.

In January, Dr. Meadows performed the two hour procedure on Kozlin with tremendous success. I am forever grateful to Dr. Meadows said Mr. Kozlin. I was up and about just 4 days after my surgery and now less than two months after surgery I am almost completely pain free. I can lift my arm, I can sleep through the night and I can now make and teach others how to make jewelry every single day of the week. Dr. Meadows is a great surgeon and a great guy!

Dr. Steve Meadows received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his Medical Degree from S.U.N.Y. Downstate College of Medicine. He completed his internship in general surgery at the North Shore University Hospital of Cornell University and obtained his orthopedic residency training at the Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute, where he served as Chief Resident for his final year of training.

Dr. Meadows received his Fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery at the Hand Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. The Center is renowned for its pioneering efforts in tendon surgery and techniques of hand rehabilitation. Dr. Meadows has been performing shoulder replacements for 15 years and received specialized training for performing the reverse shoulder replacement and is one of the few surgeons in South Florida offering this surgery to the community.

If you suffer from chronic shoulder pain and have been told surgery is not an option for you, the reverse shoulder replacement may be for you. To meet with Dr. Meadows and have a consultation call South Palm Orthopedics at (561) 496-6622 or visit the website at www.SouthPalmorthopedics.com.

About South Palm Orthopedics:

South Palm Orthopedics has been providing quality, comprehensive orthopedic care to Palm Beach County for over 15 years and is conveniently located in Delray Beach, Florida. Staffed by three fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons, Dr. David Buchalter, Dr. Steve Meadows and Dr. Russell Weisz, South Palm Orthopedics offers specialized treatment in all areas of orthopedics including arthroscopy, minimally invasive joint reconstruction using computer navigation, sports medicine, hand and wrist surgery, shoulder surgery, shoulder replacements and reverse shoulder replacement as well as trauma and fracture repair.

For Press Inquiries please contact Mary Hall at iHealthSpot, Inc. www.iHealthSpot.com - (954) 978-2184

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

This article has been robotically scanned and tagged by Prnewsnow with the following search tags. No human manipulation of these tags take place.
| Webaward | Webaward Org | web marketing association |

4887 readers online...

, Local News

Subscribe in a reader