Dr. Yuri Lewicky and Northern Arizona Orthopaedics (NAO) is one of a handful of medical practices worldwide performing an innovative all-arthroscopic surgical procedure to treat patients suffering from instability due to severe bone loss in the shoulder. The procedure, known as Arthroscopic Distal Tibial Allograft Bone Augmentation with Cerclage Fixation, uses the end of a donated shin bone and its associated cartilage to reconstruct the socket portion of the shoulder and is performed entirely via a small scope known as an arthroscope, “arthro” meaning joint. Dr. Lewicky, an orthopedic surgeon at NAO, who specializes in shoulder surgery, is among a select group of doctors trained in this procedure.
This advanced all-arthroscopic technique involves using a fresh donor graft of bone and cartilage from the end of the shin bone at the ankle (distal tibia) to help rebuild the glenoid—the socket that forms the shoulder joint. The shin bone’s unique size and shape make it an ideal match for shoulder reconstruction. Dr. Lewicky secures the graft with a tensioned cerclage fixation, a suture-based method that eliminates the need for metal hardware, reducing the risk of complications.
Source: northazortho
