Innovative dermal allograft surgery restores Delhi man’s shoulder mobility

New Delhi, Sep 8 (PTI) A man with a shoulder injury was treated at a private hospital using a dermal allograft, a biological implant derived from human donor skin. Doctors at the hospital claimed that it was India’s first documented Arthroscopic Superior Capsular Reconstruction.

The patient was discharged two days after the surgery and resumed work and is living a healthy life, the hospital said in a statement.

37-year-old man, a resident of Delhi, suffered a serious fall a few months back that left him with persistent pain and weakness in his shoulder, it said.

Despite multiple treatments, his condition did not improve, leaving him unable to carry out daily activities. He came to BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, where the team of doctors led by Dr Deepak Chaudhary, Principal Director and HOD, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine, diagnosed that he had an irreparable rotator cuff tear, meaning the torn tendons could not be stitched back.

"Rotator cuff tears occur when the muscles that stabilise the shoulder joint get damaged, often from trauma in younger individuals or wear and tear in older adults. The shoulder joint works like a ball and socket.

"When the cuff tendon is completely torn and cannot be repaired, the ball tends to slip out of place, causing pain and weakness," Chaudhary explained.

While many cases can be managed with physiotherapy, injections, or standard arthroscopic repairs, some tears are irreparable because the tendons retract and cannot be stitched back, he added.

"In such situations, Arthroscopic Superior Capsular Reconstruction with a dermal allograft provides a solution,” he said.

Given the patient's young age, active lifestyle, and work commitments, the team decided to go for Arthroscopic SCR with dermal allograft, the statement added.

In this procedure, the doctors placed a specially prepared donor graft to act like a new 'roof' over the joint, holding the ball in position, restoring balance and allowing smoother movement, Chaudhary explained.

"Because it is done arthroscopically through small incisions, recovery is quicker with less pain and minimal scarring compared to open surgery.

"This procedure brings shoulder surgery in India up to international standards, enabling us to treat even the most challenging cases without replacing the joint and significantly improving patients’ quality of life,” he added. PTI SLB SLB SKY SKY