Rotator Cuff Surgery or Rotator Cuff Surgery Alternative…You Decide

Rotator Cuff Surgery Alternative

Rotator cuff surgery or a Rotator Cuff Surgery Alternative?  These MRIs come from our San Diego area Regenexx Network provider, Health Link Medical Center. This is a 49 year old woman with a 4X5 cm rotator cuff tear who wanted a rotator cuff surgery alternative. The pre-image shows extensive swelling (the white stuff) and what appears to be a large gap (red arrow) in the supraspinatus muscle (there seems to be a few fibers hanging on). The patient was treated with the Regenexx-SD procedure through an exacting injection of her own stem cells into the rotator cuff tear under ultrasound guidance, instead of undergoing rotator cuff surgery.

The excellent work was performed by Dr. Zinni. Because of the extent of the tear, she needed to be immobilized. While the patient reports significant improvement, the result above at 5 months after the injection is self-explanatory. There isn’t much in the way of natural healing in tears this big, so we credit the dramatic reduction in joint swelling and the fact that the patient now has a more normal appearing rotator cuff tendon to the stem cells. While not all patients should expect dramatic before and after MRIs like this one, we’re happy with the results and it looks like this patient may have found a rotator cuff surgery alternative!

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Chris Centeno, MD is a specialist in regenerative medicine and the new field of Interventional Orthopedics. Centeno pioneered orthopedic stem cell procedures in 2005 and is responsible for a large amount of the published research on stem cell use for orthopedic applications. View Profile

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NOTE: This blog post provides general information to help the reader better understand regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal health, and related subjects. All content provided in this blog, website, or any linked materials, including text, graphics, images, patient profiles, outcomes, and information, are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please always consult with a professional and certified healthcare provider to discuss if a treatment is right for you.

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