A Remarkable Shoulder/Bicep Repair
Ask Gregory Mavian, MD, how he likes to spend his time and he responds without missing a beat, “The answer is an easy one and it’s called physical fitness.” In fact, the retired neurosurgeon, 70, who divides his time between Palm Springs and Detroit, Michigan, has been passionate about staying in shape since his teens. He started weight training in high school, participated in aerobic classes and boot camp, and ran daily for more than 35 years.
Since then, Dr. Mavian has turned into an avid cyclist and, when in Detroit, rides with The Wolverine Sports Club, a 135-year-old organization that produces many nationally renowned and Olympic level cyclers, speedskaters, and Nordic skiers.
But a serious 2008 cycling accident in Columbus, Ohio sidelined him. “I crashed my bike and fractured my clavicle and two ribs on the left side,” he recalls. “I was unconscious and woke up on the road laying on my bike. It was a crazy thing — I don’t even know what happened.”
The accident left Dr. Mavian with pain in his left shoulder, further aggravating discomfort he had been experiencing from years of weightlifting. As a neurosurgeon familiar with physical therapy, he used exercise, anti-inflammatories, and occasionally a corticosteroid to ease the pain. He continued to work out and ride until the summer of 2021, despite increasing shoulder pain and progressive weakness in his left arm.
“The pain started waking me up at night and that’s when I recognized the fact that something serious was going on. It felt like a knife going into the back of my trapezius muscle,” he recalls. [MORE]
After researching orthopedic surgeons in the Coachella Valley, in December of 2021, Dr. Mavian met with Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon David Savin, MD. Dr. Savin ordered an MRI, which revealed that Dr. Mavian had biceps tendonitis and a full thickness rotator cuff tear, which is characterized by a tendon that is completely detached from the bone.
“He had already tried conservative care, including exercises and time to heal, and his condition wasn’t improving,” says Dr. Savin. “Once we know that there is a rotator cuff tear, I usually don’t recommend a cortisone shot if surgery is a possibility, as it can reduce the chances of tendon healing,” adding that surgical intervention was the best option to achieve Dr. Mavian’s goals.
Minimally invasive high-tech procedure
In January 2022, Dr. Mavian underwent a shoulder arthroscopy with rotator cuff repair and biceps tenodesis. The minimally invasive outpatient procedure involves using a fiber-optic camera and pencil thin instruments to repair the rotator cuff tendon back to the humerus, and detach and relocate the biceps tendon after injury or overuse.
“The biceps tenodesis and rotator cuff repair are two parts of the surgery. I remove damaged tissue around the biceps tendon and detach it from the labrum,” Dr. Savin explains. “I then use strong anchors to attach the rotator cuff to the top of the humerus, and another suture anchor to relocate the biceps tendon to the upper humerus — the upper arm bone — just below the shoulder and beneath the pectoral major tendon.” This component of the procedure, he adds, is integral to eliminating the original symptoms and reducing postoperative pain.
Dr. Mavian experienced some initial soreness and swelling. Soon after, Dr. Savin started him on a regimen of home exercise, followed by outpatient physical therapy at Eisenhower. Within a month, Dr. Mavian was nearing 150 degree flexion, which is within the normal range for a healthy shoulder. After two months, he was doing light exercises at the gym. By the third month, he had resumed cycling with his group.
“I haven’t felt this good in 25 years,” he says. “I have full range of motion and my shoulder is completely healed. I did the right thing.”
He lauds his experience with Dr. Savin and Eisenhower Health while emphasizing that patient involvement is the key to healing from orthopedic surgery. “Patients must be involved, and participate in their health care and in their surgical recovery.”
While these types of injuries are not always preventable, Dr. Savin encourages people to engage in a regular routine of shoulder strengthening exercises to keep the shoulder mechanics and muscles strong and maintain good posture.
Dr. Savin performs approximately 200 arthroscopic shoulder procedures annually. When surgical intervention is needed, he emphasizes that Eisenhower offers one of the most advanced surgery centers with state-of-the-art arthroscopic technology and equipment.
“Rotator cuff surgeries are very successful, and they do a great job of reducing pain and restoring function,” adds Dr. Savin. “But recovery relies on following strict rules to protect the repair while it heals.”
For more information or to contact Eisenhower Desert Orthopedic Center, call 760.773.4545, or visit EisenhowerHealth.org/EDOC.
