Pain Pumps » shoulder joint

Chondrolysis sufferer finds relief with humeral head transplant

Jennifer Walker-Journey — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:26:24 +0000

Justin was just 17 years old when he was diagnosed with chondrolysis of his right shoulder. The condition occurs when the cartilage in the shoulder joint wears away causing bone to rub against bone. For more than a year, Justin suffered from such incredible pain that he was not able to use his right arm for even small tasks of everyday life, like combing his hair or putting on a shirt. The pain even kept him awake at night. But even more disappointing, Justin wasn’t able to compete as a swimmer, something he had participated in and trained for since he was just 7 years old.

Shoulder chondrolysis is a condition that more and more people who have had previous shoulder repair surgery have been diagnosed with. It was the surgeons who first realized that what caused these patients to develop the serious shoulder ailment was the pain pump device used during and after surgery to deaden pain in the shoulder joint. Doctors later learned that pain pump manufacturers were instructing surgeons to use the devices in a manner that was not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unfortunately, there is no cure for chondrolysis and many patients who suffer from the condition must undergo shoulder replacement surgery.

For Justin, relief came in November 2008, when he had a humeral head transplant. The surgery was performed by Dr. Brian Cole with The Cartilage Restoration Center at Rush. Since then, Justin’s right arm mobility has been restored and he is back to living an active lifestyle.

Source: Life Active with Rush

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Chondrolysis sufferer finds relief with humeral head transplant

New procedure may prove effective for some shoulder injuries

Jennifer Walker-Journey — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:48:49 +0000

Jim Smith could barely move his right arm following a motorcycle accident. A traditional shoulder replacement surgery left him in pain and unable to even do small household chores. “I was down to practically doing nothing,” Smith said to WNDU-TV. “I couldn’t even trim bushes in the yard because I didn’t have control of my right arm.”

But Smith’s doctor, Bryan Wall, an orthopedic surgeon at the Core Institute of Phoenix, Ariz., wasn’t giving up. He suggested Smith have a new procedure, a reverse shoulder replacement. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004, the procedure offers relief to some patients who suffer long-term rotator cuff tears with arthritis. During the procedure, surgeons place an implant in the shoulder that is designed so that the ball portion of the shoulder is attached directly to the shoulder blade. The socket is then placed at the upper end of the arm bone. The procedure essentially reverses the anatomy of the shoulder.

“What it does is it allows us to not only replace the joint that has become arthritic, but it puts the shoulder in a better mechanical position and changes the mechanics of the shoulder to allow people to elevate their arm,” Dr. Wall explained.

The result was life-changing for Smith, who said he no longer has pain in his right arm and is able to get on with an active retirement. However, Dr. Wall warns, the procedure is not recommended for all patients. The best recipients are older patients who are less likely to put extreme stress on the shoulder joint.

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › New procedure may prove effective for some shoulder injuries