Divya Agarwal
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 13: In a remarkable milestone for Indian orthopedic surgery, Dr. Ram Chidambaram, one of India’s foremost shoulder specialists, successfully performed the country’s first arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using ArthroFlex®–HDA, at Chennai Upper Limb Unit, Chennai. This procedure marks a significant development in restoring shoulder function and improving quality of life for patients suffering from complex, massive rotator cuff tears caused by injury or fall.Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ram Chidambaram said: “This surgery opens new possibilities for patients who were previously considered untreatable with conventional methods. ArthroFlex–HDA provides an ideal graft for restoring shoulder biomechanics, giving patients a pain-free, functional shoulder and a renewed quality of life.”
Rotator Cuff Injuries Rotator cuff tears are commonly encountered following an injury or fall. The muscles making up the rotator cuff (crucial for lifting and shoulder rotation) often wear down with age and repetitive use, increasing their propensity to tear. Patients present with significant pain, restricted range of motion and hampered ability to perform activities of daily living. Small tears can be treated conservatively, but big tears often require surgical intervention in the form of arthroscopic repair (‘keyhole surgery’). Classically, this involves reattachment of the torn tendon to the footprint of the humeral head using suture anchors. The majority of patients respond well to this procedure, but a few experience poor functional outcomes due to degenerative tissue and retears.
The rotator cuff is essentially supported by a ‘Human allograft patch’ of tissue that holds the repair together, enabling faster post-operative mobilization and reducing risk of retear. Patients also experience tremendous pain relief and better functional outcomes. Human allograft patches advanced and superior, providing increased strength, elasticity and biocompatibility. The graft preserves native cellular architecture, allowing for long-term integration into host tissue.
Chennai Upper Limb Unit is a dedicated specialist centre in Alwarpet, Chennai, that exclusively caters to patients with problems affecting the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Dr Ram Chidambaram, founding director of the Chennai Upper Limb Unit, is a senior consultant shoulder & upper limb surgeon with over 30 years of experience in India and the UK. His expertise is in sports medicine and treating upper limb ailments and is now regarded as one of the best shoulder and upper limb surgeons in Asia
ArthroFlex®–HDA by Avana
ArthroFlex®–HDA has been made available in India through the work of Avana Medical Devices Pvt Ltd. The company, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Chennai. Avana is proud to have supported this landmark case by ensuring timely and compliant access to the human dermal allograft, said Mr. P Sundararajan, Managing Director at Avana Medical Devices Pvt Ltd. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between international innovation and Indian clinical needs, so patients here can benefit from world-class solutions without delay. We are always proud to introduce new technologies in India to enable surgeons to treat their patients better.”
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