SAN DIEGO, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ — The treatment of rotator cuff disease has gone “arthroscopic.” For years, the treatment of torn and ruptured rotator cuffs required “open surgeries” — large incisions so the surgeon could visualize the area to be repaired. Then came the use of arthroscope — revolutionizing rotator cuff surgeries. The orthopaedic surgeon could use two small incisions. The device, with a small camera on the end, was inserted through one of the incisions. This allowed the surgeon to get a clear view of the injured area, magnified on a screen. Gone was the pain from an open surgery, longer hospitalization and recovery time.
All is not well though, according to Jon “JP” Warner, MD, director of The Harvard Shoulder Service, based at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. “There is an ‘elephant in the room’ that no one wants to talk about. A large portion of my practice is fixing failed surgeries. I am increasingly concerned that the demand, from patients, for arthroscopic surgery is driving this trend. Not all cases are suited for this type of surgery. There is an epidemic of rotator cuff problems with ‘baby boomers.’ They want arthroscopic surgery on an outpatient basis so they can get back to work the next day. As surgeons, we want to meet our patients’ requests. It’s a challenging situation.”
This controversy and other issues related to rotator cuff disease will be discussed by an international panel in a media briefing, “Topics in Rotator Cuff Disease,” at the Academy’s Annual Meeting to be held at the San Diego Convention Center on February 16, 2007 at 3:45 p.m. in Room 23C of the convention center. Dr. Warner believes that assembling an international group allows orthopaedic surgeons in this country to learn from their colleagues who have other types of health care systems and often less bureaucracy. Unlike the United States, information can be disseminated much more rapidly. “The Europeans, in particular, bring ‘heat and light’ to this discussion.”
Jon Warner, MD, will serve as moderator. He will be joined by some of the top orthopaedic surgeons in the world. Laurent Lafosse, MD, from France, pioneered use of the arthoscope with shoulder procedures and has performed more of these surgeries than anyone else in the world. Christian Gerber, also of France, is both a surgeon and a scientist. He will bring a distinctly scientific approach to the discussion, according to Warner. Ken Yamaguchi, from the United States, uses a National Institute of Health grant to look at the “natural history of the condition” including the impact of smoking on the patient’s disease and recovery.
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