When the doctor becomes the patient: Dr. Tehrany received PRP Therapy for his rotator cuff tear

Posted on

Rotator cuff tears are one of the most common shoulder injuries. In rotator cuff tears, the tendon tears away from the bone. Rotator cuff injuries often occur due to direct damage, such as a traumatic fall or repetitive overhead motions. In the new video, Dr. Tehrany has switched his role. After going through discomfort in his shoulder for the past few months, he decided it was time to put a stop to his pain. 
“I am not only the surgeon, but I am also the patient from time to time,” Dr. Tehrany laughed in the video.
  Dr. Armin Tehrany had been experiencing discomfort from a partial tear in his left rotator cuff. The rotator cuff tear occurred almost five years ago, and Dr. Tehrany found relief through physical therapy and cortisone injections. With the help of these conservative treatments, Dr. Tehany could function without pain until recently.
“A few months ago, it started bothering me again, and I thought it became a complete tear in which case, I was pretty sure I was going to need to get surgery,” admitted Dr. Tehrany.
The MRI scan revealed that Dr. Tehrany also had the presence of hard calcium in his shoulder. The calcification was formed on the soft tissue surrounding the shoulder. As a result, Dr. Tehrany suffered a painful inflammation known as calcific tendonitis.   After the removal of the calcification, Dr. Tehrany experienced immediate pain decrease. Additionally, Dr. Tehrany received a cortisone injection to help further mask the pain. However, as an experienced shoulder doctor, Dr. Tehrany was aware that his healing process was far from over.    Dr. Tehrany enlisted the help of a trusted colleague to pursue a treatment method that would provide long-term results. Dr. Tehrany and his doctor both agreed that PRP therapy would achieve more lasting results. Before injecting the PRP shot, the doctor drew around 9cc blood. Once Dr. Tehrany had his blood drawn, a centrifuge machine isolated the platelets for injection into the injured area. Dr. Tehrany trusted his PA Stephan Bouskila with the treatment. PA Bouskila processed Dr. Tehrany’s blood and then injected the PRP shot into his shoulder. 
“He is injecting the PRP, which are the growth factors coming out of the blood that will hopefully provide pain relief and help a little with the healing process,” Dr. Tehrany explained.
We are happy that Dr. Armin Tehrany found the much-needed relief for his shoulder. It can be challenging for a busy surgeon like Dr. Tehrany to step away from his heavy schedule. We are glad to see him prioritize his health. That is a lesson we can all learn from.  If you are experiencing any shoulder or knee pain, schedule your consultation today!