Introducing InSpace a Minimally-Invasive Solution for Shoulder Pain
According to population surveys, shoulder pain affects 18-26% of adults at some point in their lives. Symptoms can be persistent and disabling in terms of an individual’s ability to carry out daily activities both at home and in the workplace. It happens so often that each year, almost 2 million people in the United States
visit their doctors due to rotator cuff issues. What if shoulder pain could be eliminated with an outpatient procedure? Now imagine a recovery time that is half of a traditional rotator cuff surgery. A new procedure, called InSpace, makes this concept a reality and gets patients back to doing the things they love in less time. The best part? It’s now available at St. Margaret’s! St. Margaret’s Health is proud to be the area’s leader in cutting-edge healthcare. In this tradition of innovative care, Michael Shin, MD, board certified orthopedic surgeon from St. Margaret’s Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Spring Valley, is proud to announce the arrival of the InSpace biodegradable balloon spacer to the continuum of patient care in the Illinois Valley. This minimally invasive treatment is an effective option in the treatment of shoulder injuries and pain.
The InSpace is an advanced technology balloon implant that is designed to restore the subacromial space without requiring sutures or fixation devices and has been demonstrated to improve shoulder motion and function. The subacromial space refers to the space above the shoulder’s glenohumeral joint (ball-and-socket joint) and below the acromion, the top-most bone of the shoulder. Soft tissues, such as the bicep tendon, rotator cuff and bursa are in the subacromial space. InSpace is used to treat patients with Massive Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears (MIRCTS) and patients who are 65 and older and benefit from shorter surgical time and less invasive procedures. The procedure helps fill an unmet need, giving the patients a solution for shoulder injuries and pain without
traditional rotator cuff surgery.
So how does it work? Imagine a pillow that sits within the shoulder to support bone without anchors or permanent implant placement. The “pillow” then stops the top and bottom shoulder bones from rubbing together, thus alleviating the patient’s pain. Instead of repairing the tendon, a surgeon injects the balloon into the shoulder joint and then fills it with saline.
The award winning InSpace balloon is a game changer for patients. It’s a safe, shorter and less invasive option that gives patients meaningful improvements in shoulder function and symptoms. The procedure is an innovative solution that has been successfully used over 29,000 times in 40 countries.
The InSpace procedure has already been proven successful right here in the Illinois Valley. Steve Siska of Peru chose Dr. Shin to perform this procedure. At age 74, Steve was already a previous patient of Dr. Shin’s for knee replacement surgery. He was pleased with that outcome and after hearing about the availability of the InSpace procedure, he contacted Dr. Shin to learn more. “We talked about this new option and Dr. Shin stated that it was good for people over 65 years of age with irreparable shoulders. We did the MRI and saw the results. After talking about it some more, we ultimately decided to do it,” stated Siska. The procedure sounded promising to Siska, but understandably and is often the case with nearly any type of procedure, he had some initial concerns as well:
“I had some questions of course with it being a new surgery and new to the United States as well as rehab.” However, according to Siska, both the procedure and recovery have gone quite well. “Everything has been good. Surgery went well. It was outpatient, and I wore a sling for a week. After that, I got to take it off and did not have any problems. The pain I had before surgery was gone,” describes Siska. Steve’s biggest advice to others considering having the procedure is to follow the post-procedure care and rehabilitation that’s provided as it’s made a significant difference in his experience: “The biggest thing after surgery was to keep ice on it for the first week. The more rehab I do, the less pain I am in, and a lot of it depends on the individual and if they are doing the exercises at home as well. I have been. My range of motion is excellent, and right now, we are working on building up the muscles in the shoulder where the two muscles were torn, as well as lifting with smaller weights.”
When using the InSpace balloon procedure, patients could return to normal activities after four weeks as opposed to eight weeks with traditional rotator cuff surgery, cutting their recovery time by half! Patients no longer experience pain and limited mobility. After completing the InSpace procedure, patients could lift grandkids, swing golf clubs and enjoy their lives without pain.
This is an outpatient surgery that takes only forty-five minutes. Dr. Shin is excited to offer this new treatment alternative to his patients, especially those who were previously limited in options. The InSpace procedure allows Dr. Shin’s patients to have a less invasive procedure that is more effective, which is a truly rewarding experience.
To schedule an appointment please call (815) 664-5343.
