Plancher Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Greenwich CT Now Performs New Technology and Technique Make ACL Repair Faster, Less Painful

According to Dr. Michael A. Schwartz, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Plancher Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Greenwich CT, "A new ACL repair procedure makes it possible for young, active patients to return to play faster and with less pain than ever before."

Greenwich, CT and NY, NY (PRWEB) December 15, 2007 -- For Zachary Bruno, a senior at Fairfield Preparatory High School in Connecticut, the prospect of spending the next year, or longer, on the sidelines while rehabilitating his torn ACL was distressing. The 17-year-old Bruno is an ambitious student athlete who plays linebacker for Fairfield Prep's varsity football team in the fall, wrestles in the winter, and runs track in the spring. Fortunately, a new ACL repair procedure makes it possible for young, active patients like Bruno to return to play faster and with less pain than ever before.

"We were able to repair Zach's ACL with the new AperFix technology earlier this fall, and he is already into the very active phase of his physical therapy," notes Dr. Michael A. Schwartz, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Plancher Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Greenwich CT, and a former assistant team physician for professional and collegiate sports teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. John's University men's and women's basketball teams. "Zach's progress thus far suggests that he may be able to resume his school athletic schedule in time for wrestling season," Dr. Schwartz predicts.

When Zachary Bruno's mother, Sharon Bruno, who works in the nurse's office at Greenwich High School, first brought her son for an orthopaedic evaluation, Dr. Schwartz identified him immediately as a candidate for the new AperFix technique. Mrs. Bruno recalls, "We were apprehensive about Zach having to endure a painful surgery, a long recovery, and a year or more without sports, and so the existence of a shorter, less painful alternative was good news to us."

The AperFix system was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2007, and has become a key option for student athletes and young, active adults who require knee surgery to repair a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). Dr. Schwartz explains, "Traditional ACL repair surgery either involves using tissue from the kneecap, which can result in fairly significant postsurgical knee pain, or soft tissue grafts, which can leave too much laxity in the joint - especially for athletes, who require a high level of control in that joint."

Instead, AperFix utilizes rigid tibial and femoral implants, which function as strong anchors for the ligament reconstruction, ensuring firm adherence and the right amount of tension for control of the joint without the usual laxity. The delivery system is simple and standardized, allowing the surgeon to complete the reconstructive aspect of the surgery in approximately five minutes. For Zachary Bruno, the timesaving benefits of AperFix extended to his rehabilitation as well. Just two months after his surgery, in late September, Zach's mother says he is "already very active, he goes to PT twice a week, at OSPT in Greenwich. He hopes to be ready for the upcoming wrestling season."

ABOUT ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURIES: A NEW SPORTS INJURY EPIDEMIC

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) confirms that the incidence of ACL injury continues to rise each year. The AAOS now estimates that approximately 200,000 ACL injuries occur annually in the United States. The injury rate among women athletes is estimated at anywhere between two and eight times that of men competing in the same sports; experts believe this may be due to anatomical and/or hormonal differences.

Male and female athletes at highest risk for sustaining an ACL injury include football players, soccer players, basketball players, volleyball players and skiers. These sports all place high demands on the knee joint, and involve positioning that is most likely to result in an ACL injury, including having a foot planted on the ground while the leg is being twisted, hyperextension of the knee, sudden stops or pivots, and/or a sudden transfer of weight.

The anterior cruciate ligament is one of four main ligaments connecting the thigh and shinbones. The ACL is in the middle of the knee and stabilizes the joint by preventing the shinbone from sliding forward in front of the thighbone. A partly torn ACL may heal on its own or may require surgery, but a fully torn ACL won't heal by itself. Dr. Schwartz advises athletes who experience pain or weakness in the knee area that worsens over time, or those who feel a sudden "popping" sensation in the knee area during play, followed by pain and/or weakness, to consult a sports orthopaedist for an evaluation immediately to prevent worsening of the injury and to ensure a faster, safer return to play.

Michael A. Schwartz, MD, FAAOS

Dr. Schwartz is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, having received his B.A. degree cum laude in Behavioral Biology in 1994. He then earned his M.D. degree at The University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School in 1998, where he was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. His orthopaedic surgery residency training was obtained at The State University of New York at Stony Brook University Hospital. Dr. Schwartz then completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine at The Thomas Jefferson University Hospital / Rothman Institute, in Philadelphia. There he concentrated his orthopaedic work on arthroscopic shoulder, elbow and knee surgery, as well as the overall care of the sports injuries of athletes, ranging from recreational to professional.

Drawing from his comprehensive training, Dr. Schwartz takes care of patients with a wide range of orthopaedic conditions, as well as focuses on the management of sports-related injuries. Licensed in both New York and Connecticut, Dr. Schwartz is an attending physician at The Stamford Hospital in Stamford, CT, the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Schwartz has been a covering team physician for many sports at the high school, college and professional levels, including the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Joseph's University men's and women's basketball teams.

While not on the court, on the field or in the training rooms, Dr. Schwartz has also found time away from the office and operating rooms to perform research and write publications. He has contributed chapters to books on Cartilage Injury in the Athlete, as well as on Medial Epicondylitis (a.k.a. "golfer's elbow"). His research endeavors have included projects on arthroscopic repair for shoulder instability, ligament reconstruction of the elbow (a.k.a. the "Tommy John surgery"), and treatment for adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder (a.k.a. "frozen shoulder"). Dr. Schwartz was honored with the Research Presentation Award for his talk on Enzymatic Capsulotomy for Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder, given at the Annual Orthopaedic Symposium: Concepts in Orthopaedic Therapeutics at the S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook Health Science Center in 2002. Dr. Schwartz's particular clinical interests include shoulder, elbow and knee conditions, ranging from acute injuries to chronic, overuse conditions. He is extensively trained in a wide variety of procedures, including shoulder arthroscopic rotator cuff and labral repair as well as arthroscopic reconstructive knee surgery. www.plancherortho.com

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