“Ream and Run”
New Shoulder Surgery Offers Hope for Athletes Using Patient's Own Shoulder Socket
Only "A Handful" of Surgeons in the Country Can Perform the Procedure

Grand Rapids, MI Athletes, farmers, woodcutters…and others who use shoulder motion repeatedly have hope from a new surgical technique available at few hospitals around the country, including Saint Mary’s Health Care.

In traditional shoulder replacement surgery, doctors use a metal ball and a plastic socket. The surgery has a high success rate, but it's not designed for vigorous activity. Too much movement can wear out and loosen the artificial socket.

“Ream and run” surgery was developed by Dr. Frederick Matsen at the University of Washington hospital and is practiced by only a handful of surgeons across the country. Instead of replacing the socket as in traditional shoulder replacement surgery, doctors grind it to make a smooth surface to match the metal ball. It's less likely to wear because the body's natural healing process lets the socket adapt to movement.

“This is great news for younger, active patients,” reports Tim Lenters, MD, orthopedic surgeon. “The procedure is called REAM AND RUN because instead of using metal or plastic parts to replace shoulder sockets, we can reshape the patient’s own shoulder socket. Once we clean it out, it reforms itself and heals over with scar tissue, thus avoiding having to implant an artificial socket, which wears out in time.”

The surgery was first performed in Grand Rapids on May 30, 2006 at Saint Mary’s Health Care.