shoulder Preservation
in San Antonio

The goal is never to simply replace what is not quite broken, but to do everything in our power to preserve the joint and the need for a total shoulder replacement.

What are some common shoulder injuries and their treatment?

  • Articular cartilage

    The articular cartilage is the soft, gliding surface that caps the ends of your bones and allows your joints to function at their best. Damage to the articular cartilage results in a rough surface of the joint that can cause pain and swelling.

  • Debridement

    Shoulder arthroscopy and debridement is a procedure that is indicated for treatment of symptomatic loose flaps of cartilage that may be causing pain or mechanical complaints such as locking or catching. The procedure is quick, minimally invasive and allows you to return to your regular activities in just a few weeks.

  • Microfracture

    For small, full-thickness cartilage defects, shoulder arthroscopy and microfracture is a procedure in which small holes are punched into the underlying bone to allow bleeding and movement of stem cells into the cartilage defect that results in the growth of fibrocartilage to fill the defect.

  • Osteochondral Autograft

    Osteochondral autograft transplantation is a surgery in which a plug of cartilage and bone is taken from a non-weight bearing portion of your own shoulder and transferred to the area of a small cartilage defect. This surgery is performed either arthroscopically or open, depending on the location of the injury.

  • Osteochondral Allograft

    In the treatment of large cartilage defects or those that have failed other surgical interventions, osteochondral allograft transplantation is a procedure in which a cartilage and bone plug from a size-matched cadaver is used to treat the injured cartilage.

  • Matrix-Associated Chondrocyte Implantation

    Matrix-associated chondrocyte transplantation (or MACI) is a surgery that utilized your own cartilage cells to grow new cartilage in a lab environment and then transplants it into the site of damaged cartilage.

SOME OF OUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

When Should I Come In to See an Orthopedic Specialist?

We recommend coming to see us when you first start having symptoms of shoulder pain.

WHY? When people wait to come in and they have end-stage arthritis, it's bone on bone. And this is when none of the treatments are really going to have a lasting effect. If you come in when you first start having that recurrent knee pain, or you first start having that recurrent hip pain, and we see early signs of arthritis, either on the X rays or on our exam findings, we have a whole lot of things that we can do to help slow down the rate at which arthritis progresses.

What are some preventative measures?

If a patient comes in early enough, we often start with looking at their diet, nutrition, and exercise. There are also anti-inflammatory medications and injections that we can administer, like:

  • Cortisone

  • Platelet Rich Plasma

  • Adipose Tissue

Are you looking for shoulder pain relief?

Discover non-surgical solutions with Joint Health Specialists to get you back to the activities you love, without surgery.

Early signs of shoulder arthritis

Arthritis in the shoulder often starts subtly, presenting as more than just pain. Early symptoms may include:

  • Dull, Aching Pain

  • Stiffness

  • Decreased Range of Motion

  • Persistent Fatigue

Identifying these early signs can help preserve the shoulder, slow the progression of arthritis, and hopefully prolong the need for surgery.

Shoulder injuries and chronic shoulder pain can be very debilitating and can make doing everyday things painful or impossible. Shoulder injuries can make it difficult or impossible to work or play the sports you love.

Adam I. Harris, MD Orthopedic Surgeon in San Antonio

If you’ve experienced any common shoulder symptoms/causes like stiffness, inflammation, swelling, or shoulder pain after sleeping, you should set up an appointment for treatment.

MEET OUR ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALISTS

  • Adam I. Harris, MD at San Antonio Orthoapedic Specialists in San Antonio

    Adam I. Harris, MD

    Board Certified, Fellowship Trained Orthopaedic Surgeon

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  • Brandon Broome, MD at San Antonio Orthoapedic Specialists in San Antonio

    Brandon Broome, MD

    Board Certified, Fellowship Trained Orthopaedic Surgeon

    Learn More