This video features a patient testimonial shared by Dr. Don Buford, focusing on a 44-year-old patient's recovery from a shoulder procedure.
Key Highlights:
- Diagnosis: The patient was treated for a Type II SLAP lesion—a tear of the labrum (the ring of cartilage surrounding the shoulder socket) where the top part of the labrum and the attached biceps tendon become unstable.
- Procedure: To address the tear, Dr. Buford performed a subpectoral biceps tenodesis (surgically reattaching the biceps tendon to the upper arm bone lower down, underneath the pectoral muscle, to relieve stress on the shoulder joint).
- Progress: Just shy of his three-month post-op milestone, the patient has achieved an impressively smooth recovery. He demonstrates full, pain-free range of motion, showing he can easily raise his arm overhead and reach behind his back.
- Functional Recovery: The patient feels solid enough that he was able to umpire 14 baseball games over a single busy weekend. While he notes a small amount of residual weakness in his throwing motion, Dr. Buford reassures him that high-velocity throwing power is typically the very last thing to fully return after this surgery.
The patient ultimately trusted her instincts, declined their services, and visited Dr. Buford to receive a qualified orthopedic evaluation.
