SRO Shoulder and Elbow Care Center
As one of the top programs in the North Bay for shoulder care Santa Rosa Orthopaedic’s Shoulder and Elbow programs provides highly specialized care to those experiencing arm pain. Our patients benefit from the expertise and skill of specialists who perform countless procedures each year while continually pioneering advances in repair and replacement.
SRO’s team of board-certified and fellowship trained elbow and shoulder subspecialists combine extensive knowledge and experience with state-of-the-art surgical techniques. The expanded team of SRO professionals includes; medical assistants, physical and occupational therapists and staff who all work together to ensure that each patient benefits from an extraordinary continuum of care that only SRO can provide.
Focused Care for the Elbow and Shoulder
The cause of painful shoulder and elbow complaints can be quite varied and include; osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic injury stemming from an accident or fall, and more. While pain sometimes can be treated at home with rest, ice and over-the-counter medication, more severe shoulder injuries and conditions require an orthopedist for diagnosis and treatment. Common conditions can include; arthritis, shoulder bone spurs, torn rotator cuffs, fractures, dislocation, damaged cartilage and throwing injuries.
Highly Skilled Physicians, Fellowship-Trained Specialists
The SRO Elbow and Shoulder care treatment model focuses on diagnostics and meticulous surgical details, in addition to carefully monitored post-surgical rehabilitation and recovery. When you lose mobility due to injury or disease, you want and deserve the best possible care. Specialized attention must be given to all of the physical elements that work together to create healthy function of the hand and arm. Surgeons and orthopaedic specialists at Santa Rosa Orthopaedics are specifically trained to provide just that care, tailored to fit your needs.
Patients with shoulder and elbow problems benefit from our integrated services. With our on-site imaging center and other advanced diagnostics, such as Electromyography (EMG) testing — along with X-ray suites at our facilities — diagnosis is timely and accurate. Splinting and casting professionals are also available, along with certified physical and hand therapists. We are committed to providing you with the highest level of care and the fastest possible recovery.
Our Shoulder & Elbow Experts
SRO specialty-trained orthopedic surgeons have dedicated their practices to this specialized field of study. With their commitment to continuously advancing their knowledge about the newest procedures and techniques, our surgeons are some of the most highly skilled shoulder and elbow surgeons in the area.
Dr. Neema Pourtaheri practices general orthopaedics including arthroscopy, fracture care, joint replacement, and minimally invasive procedures. He also performs PRP and stem cell injections. Learn more …
Dr. Michael McDermott is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and orthopaedic problems with emphasis on arthroscopic, complex reconstruction and minimally invasive procedures of the knee, hip and shoulder. Learn more …
Dr. Kai-Uwe Mazur is the co-director of The Hand Center. He performs the latest techniques in upper-extremity joint arthroplasty/replacement, advanced arthroscopic reconstruction, ligament reconstruction of the upper extremity, tendon repair and more. Learn more …
Dr. Gary Stein specializes in orthopaedic surgery, adult reconstructive surgery, sports medicine, and back care. Dr. Stein has pioneered techniques in hip and knee replacement surgery and has been performing (MIS) minimally invasive hip replacement surgical techniques. Learn more …
Shoulder Pain and Problems
Shoulder instability
Shoulder separation
Shoulder dislocations
Superior and anterior-superior migration of the shoulder
Frozen shoulder
Shoulder bursitis
Shoulder Tears
Rotator cuff tears
Shoulder labrum tears
Biceps tendon tear
Superior labrum anterior and posterior lesion (SLAP tear)
Acromioclavicular (AC) joint injury
Shoulder Tendonitis
Rotator cuff tendonitis
Biceps and triceps tendonitis
Shoulder Fractures
Collarbone fractures (clavicle fracture)
Shoulder blade fractures (scapula fracture)
Glenoid fractures
Greater and lesser tuberosity fractures
Humerus fractures
Shoulder Arthritis
AC joint arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulder
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder
Arthritis due to avascular necrosis
Shoulder Treatments and Procedures
Total shoulder replacement
Reverse total shoulder replacement
Revision shoulder replacement
Repair after a failed shoulder surgery
Elbow Pain and Problems
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
Little leaguer’s elbow (medial apophysitis)
Popeye elbow (olecranon bursitis)
Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear
Osteochondritis of the elbow
Additional Services
Regenerative Orthopaedics uses cutting-edge technology to stimulate and accelerate the healing process. Depending on age, health and the severity of condition treatments may include; stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma therapy, and other non-operative treatments.
These therapies are performed as a same day, office-based procedure and require minimal recovery time for patients. Although success may ultimately depend on the site and severity of the injury, improved pain and function can last for years.
PRP and Stem Cell Injections & Regenerative Therapy
While stem cells have the ability to differentiate and form brand new cells, platelets are a small fragment of blood cells, which help in clotting and enhance the healing process. The growth factors present in the platelets work to simulate those cells essential for a quicker recovery. An added benefit of PRP is that the patient faces less risk of infection or allergic reactions due to the procedure, as the injected platelets are of their own blood. This combined with the fact that the procedure itself is quick and does not require general anesthesia or a prolonged recovery makes it a viable option for situations where standard treatments have proven to be ineffective.
Platelets are cells that clot blood and contain over 300 active growth factors. They also contain hormones that help to facilitate growth and healing. The process of extraction followed by centrifugation of the blood allows platelet-rich plasma to be separated from the original sample which is then injected into the site of the injury. For those patients whose tissues are aging and therefore have a slower or reduced ability to repair and regenerate, the growth factors in PRP can help to improve the body’s healing ability.
Advantages include:
- Long-term pain relief
- Quicker recovery time
- Improved function
- Improved healing potential
Common Areas of Treatment:
- Tendon or Ligament injury (tear, sprain)
- Tendonitis
- Arthritis
- Muscle Strains
- Articular Cartilage Injury
Our onsite diagnostic imaging department aids our physicians in quickly and accurately diagnosing your injury or condition. Because radiologic exams are common during an orthopaedic visit, we have developed programs that are efficient, effective, and convenient.
SRO’s Sports Medicine Center offers comprehensive diagnostic x-ray capabilities. We have also incorporated a state-of-the-art open Magnetic Resonance Extremity (MRI) Scanner, helping to eliminate the claustrophobic feeling some patients experience with traditional MRI. Each of our technologists is fully certified in his or her area of expertise. All of our MRI interpretations are performed by board certified radiologists specializing in musculoskeletal diagnoses.
Santa Rosa Orthopaedics offers a revolutionary surgical option for some joint replacement patients using the robotic assisted device called RIO Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System. This highly advanced procedure is essentially a minimally invasive technique that reduces damage to the bone and surrounding tissue for faster recovery. The MAKO® system is currently available primarily for partial knee replacement and is offered by both Dr. Michael McDermott and SRO’s Dr. Nathan Ehmer at Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital.
The MAKO robotic arm interactive system’s unique design makes it possible for a surgeon to “pre-plan” the procedure on the computer. This way, the robotic arm ensures precision in the resurfacing of the damaged portion of the joint followed by more accurate placement of artificial implants and correct tensioning of ligaments. The robotic system offers a number of benefits particularly for knee replacement surgery. One of the primary advantages is that we require a much smaller “mini-incision” and most patients experience a much a faster recovery as a result.
