A University of California Los Angeles Health orthopedic surgeon is advancing a tendon-sparing approach to shoulder replacement that may significantly reduce recovery time.
Ed Cheung, MD, is among a small group of surgeons in the U.S. and Europe performing shoulder replacements through a posterior approach, which avoids cutting and repairing the rotator cuff. The method may reduce sling use from six weeks to as few as two or three days, according to a Feb. 26 news release.
Dr. Cheung has performed 10 such procedures and likens the experience to “driving to work using a backup camera.” UCLA Health is one of a few U.S. sites offering the technique, which was developed in 2017 by Kentucky-based orthopedic surgeon Michael Greiwe, MD.
The posterior approach may not be suitable for patients with severe joint deformities, according to the release.
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