This video is a patient testimonial featuring Dr. Don Buford and his patient, Barry, who underwent surgery to repair a left shoulder rotator cuff tear.
Medical Background & Procedure
- Condition: Barry suffered from a 2-centimeter rotator cuff tear in his left shoulder. Prior to seeing Dr. Buford, he had been experiencing issues and pain for about five months.
- Treatment: The tear was repaired using an arthroscopic surgical procedure.
Recovery & Progress
- Post-Operative Pain: Barry notes that while he had pain leading up to the surgery, he experienced very little pain afterward. Out of the 30 pain pills typically prescribed for recovery, he only needed to take five or six.
- Rehabilitation: Unlike many patients, Barry did not attend formal physical therapy sessions. Instead, he managed his rehabilitation independently using a designated home exercise program.
- Current Status (3 Months Post-Op):
- Barry demonstrates his current range of motion by raising his arm straight up, lifting it out to the side, and reaching behind his back.
- Dr. Buford notes that Barry's ability to reach behind his back is particularly impressive, as internal rotation is usually the last component of mobility to return.
- Barry expresses that he is happy with his recovery and has no complaints regarding his ongoing progress.
Questions about this treatment
- What condition is featured in this patient testimonial?
- The testimonial features a 2-centimeter rotator cuff tear in the patient's left shoulder.
- What treatment did the patient receive?
- The patient's rotator cuff tear was repaired using an arthroscopic surgical procedure.
- How long after surgery was the patient evaluated?
- The patient was evaluated three months after rotator cuff repair surgery.
- How was the patient's recovery three months after surgery?
- At three months postoperatively, the patient demonstrated good shoulder range of motion, including raising the arm overhead, lifting it to the side, and reaching behind the back.
- Did the patient experience significant pain after surgery?
- The patient reported very little pain after surgery and used only five or six of the approximately 30 pain pills typically prescribed for recovery.
- Did the patient attend formal physical therapy?
- The patient did not attend formal physical therapy sessions and instead followed a designated home exercise program independently.
- Who performed the rotator cuff repair?
- The rotator cuff repair was performed by Don Buford, MD at Texas Orthobiologics in Dallas, Texas.
Every patient is different, and a video is not a promise of the same result. If you want to know whether an orthobiologic or surgical option fits your own injury, that starts with an exam and imaging — not a video.
