Orthopedic Surgery Research
How should we approach shoulder injury treatments with today’s rise in obesity rates?
At Montefiore Einstein Orthopedic Surgery, we believe the most important discoveries always start with a question: What if? How about? Why? Curiosity is the key to advancing the science of medicine. We ask these questions in the form of research and, in doing so, endeavor to make groundbreaking and innovative findings that translate to innovative, cutting-edge care.
Problem to Solve
The use of shoulder arthroscopy in the treatment of rotator cuff and labral injuries has increased over the past decade. Concurrently, the percentage of patients who meet the criteria for obesity has also increased significantly in the United States.
Our Approach
We are evaluating the risk factors and prevalence of injuries to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in obese patients undergoing arthroscopy in the standard beach chair position. Furthermore, we are assessing the efficacy of the standard padding and positioning protocol in reducing the prevalence of rotator cuff and labral injuries in this specific patient demographic. We hope that our findings will help surgeons minimize this clinically significant problem and provide a point of pre-operative discussions with obese patients about these potential occurrences.
