Tendonitis

What is tendinitis?

Tendons are cords of connective tissue that attach muscles to bones. When they become irritated, it can result in pain ranging from a dull burning ache to a sharp cutting pain. Tendonitis occurs at the site of the inflammation and can involve the surrounding area. You’ll likely lose some range of motion and function in the affected joints. The most common parts of the body affected by tendinitis are:

• Base of the thumb
• Elbow
• Shoulder
• Hip
• Knee
• Bottom of the foot
• Achilles tendon

Repetitive movement is a common cause of tendinitis. Sports such as tennis or softball (pitching) that have you moving in the same way over and over are often responsible. Habitual ways of sitting or doing daily chores, such as scrubbing or raking, put you at risk, too. You may also get tendinitis as the result of an injury.

What is the Tenex procedure?

The Tenex procedure is a superior, minimally invasive treatment option for tendon pain. Developed in conjunction with the Mayo Clinic, it uses ultrasonic energy to cut and remove diseased tendon tissue. It’s designed to cut through diseased tissue only, as it’s not strong enough to cut through or damage healthy tissue.  With the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound, Dr. Panero guides the Tenex MicroTip precisely to the injured area, providing optimal benefit.

The procedure is typically covered by most insurance companies, with prior authorization.

What conditions can the Tenex procedure treat?

The Tenex procedure can address an array of tendinitis conditions. These include:

• Calcific tendonitis
• Rotator cuff tendinopathy
• Tennis and golfer's elbow
• Patellar tendinopathy
• Achilles tendinopathy
• Plantar fasciitis

Why is the Tenex procedure better than surgery?

The Tenex procedure offers significant advantages over surgery. No sutures or stitches are needed, which means less time required for healing. Tenex is performed under local anesthesia, so you won’t be exposed to the physical trauma and health risks of general anesthesia. The Tenex procedure does very little damage to healthy tissue because it involves no heat or cauterizing. The whole procedure is less painful than any surgery and allows you to return to your normal activities quickly.

Injection options for Tendinopathy

• Tenex Procedure: The Tenex device contains a special micro-tip that oscillates at ultrasonic speed to break up diseased tendon tissue and vacuums it out. The micro-trauma also creates an inflammatory response that promotes tendon healing. Please visit tenexehealth.com for detailed information. This procedure is typically covered by insurance, with prior authorization
• Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections:Blood is taken from your arm and is spun down to get the healthiest healing factors - platelets and serum. Once injected, the platelets degranulate and release activate growth factors and cytokines to promote healing. A one time leukocyte rich, concentrated PRP injection is recommended. 1 injection may be all you need, however, there are times where multiple injections may be provide additional benefit. Not covered by insurance. Costs $800 per injection.
• Mesenchymal Stem Cell Injections:Bone marrow is aspirated from the back of your pelvis and centrifuged in a special kit to concentrate the stem cells, which are then reinjected into the tendon. The goals are to change the living microenvironment of the tendon, up regulating collagen formation, and promote tendon cell healing and reorganization. Not covered by insurance. Costs $3500 per injection.
• Lipogems Microfat "Stem Cell" Injections:Adipose (fat) is obtained from you via a lipoaspiration. The fat is then processed through the Lipogems system. The microfat tissue is then re-injected into the diseased tendon. The goal is to help repair and restore the structure of the tendon. Although it will not fully re-grow the tendon it will promote healing in contained lesions. Not covered by insurance. Self-pay costs $3500 per injection.