Top Chicago Orthopedic Surgeon leads the field in Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Reconstruction Procedures

By Nick Rees

As many as 10 percent of Americans are believed to be affected by rotator cuff injuries, which are most common in males over the age of 20 who are active in sports.

Most rotator cuff injuries are associated with athletic activities that carry a risk of collision, such as football or hockey, or from sports with repetitive overheard movements, like tennis or volleyball.

"Rotator cuff reconstruction surgery takes about 45 minutes," Dr. Roger Chams, MD, selected as a Chicago Top Doctor by TopTierMD as a top rated orthopaedic surgeon in Chicago, said. "The entire procedure is done arthroscopically through small poke holes. A camera is put through one of the holes and instruments through another and we basically operate on a video screen.

"With shoulder surgery, if it's a shoulder reconstruction, we take a torn labrum or rotator cuff and reattach it to the bone with anchors or sutures. I do two rows of anchors instead of one to provide better fixation.

"By doing the procedure this way, we can do the surgery much faster and as an outpatient procedure. Success rates of these procedures are almost identical to those done formerly in a more invasive way."

After surgery, the patient is placed in a shoulder immobilizer for four to six weeks, depending on the procedure. The patient starts physical therapy approximately two weeks after surgery and can return to sports in four to six months.

"The goal of the procedure is to get the patient back to sports at full speed with no loss of motion or strength," Dr. Chams said. "The surgery carries a small risk of instability for the shoulder at about four to six percent. The risk for a recurrent tear runs anywhere from five to thirty percent."

Follow up treatment and physical therapy, Dr. Chams said, is very important after surgery.

Chams explains, "We inject platelet rich plasma, which is when we basically spin the blood in a centrifuge, then take the platelets out and inject those into the patient.  This speeds healing.  The field of shoulder reconstruction is evolving tremendously with platelet rich plasma therapy being just one of many advances.”

Outcomes of procedures are making large gains due to a variety of advances in the field. This requires constant learning and training in the field where Dr Chams is involved both in attending all of the national meetings on the topic.  Additionally, Chams is recognized as a leader in the field and teaches the most advanced procedures to surgeons across the country.  

Dr. Roger Chams, MD, was selected by TopTierMD as a Chicago Top Doctor and is considered Best in Orthopaedic Surgery in Chicago. He specializes in arthroscopic ACL reconstruction, arthroscopic rotator cuff reconstruction and arthroscopic meniscus surgery.