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Tendon Injuries: Common Problems Find a Futuristic Solution
Doctors utilize radiofrequency technology to help heal common tendon problems.
by Bruce Hartzell
September 16, 2008
A
s more and more people of all ages take up “weekend warrior” activities such as tennis,
golf, hiking, running and other outdoor sports, and as the fitness craze in general continues to
grow, people tend to be healthier as a whole. But a passion for working out can be rudely
interrupted by tendon-related aches and pains that can be bad enough to sideline even the fittest
of us, including Olympic Gymnast Dominique Moceanu.
An Olympic gold medalist at 14 as part of the storied “Magnificent Seven” US Women’s
Gymnastic team at the ’96 games, Moceanu permanently etched her mark on the world of gymnastics by
becoming the all-around individual world champion at the Goodwill Games two years later.
With the first major competition of her “comeback trail” approaching, Moceanu found herself
suddenly plagued by a constant soreness in her Achilles tendon. Ever the warrior, she tried
to “train through it” and then treat it with conservative therapies. Nothing worked, the pain
continued to increase, and Moceanu, with the counsel of her coach/fiancée/physician, Mike Canales,
withdrew from competition to avoid the potential of a more severe injury.
Canales, himself a former gymnast, was at the time playing multiple roles in Moceanu’s
life. He had begun serving as coach and trainer to Moceanu while also performing medical
rounds as a surgical resident under the renowned foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Gerard Yu.
The couple consulted Yu, and it turned out that what was painfully sidelining Moceanu was
the all-too-common chronic tendon ailment referred to as Achilles tendinosis.
After several weeks of conservative therapies failed, Yu recommended surgery.
Disappointed, Moceanu feared that surgery would further prolong her return to competition and set
her back in her training.
Fortunately, Yu was among a select group of surgeons nationwide pioneering a
radiofrequency-based technology called Topaz that is used to remove tiny amounts of tissue from the
problem tendon, stimulating healing. The recovery times are much shorter than traditional
surgery due to the less invasive nature of the procedure.
Moceanu’s surgery, performed by Yu with Canales assisting, was a success – so much so that
only six weeks post-op she wowed crowds at an exhibition alongside several of the world’s most
revered gymnasts for a nationally televised gymnastics exhibition.
Coblation: The Innovative Science Behind Topaz
Topaz is a procedure that utilizes the science of Coblation technology – now a widely
utilized alternative to standard surgical techniques for removing and treating tissue in a number
of specialties. Topaz enables the micro-debridement of soft tissue, such as tendons in the
knee, shoulder, elbow, the ankle and foot. The Topaz procedure uses Coblation technology to
preserve the anatomical structure of the tissue while delivering a precisely controlled amount of
radiofrequency energy – which is what stimulates the healing response in the tissue.
While most radiofrequency-based surgical products, lasers, and electrosurgical devices use
heat-driven processes to remove or cut tissue, Topaz’s Coblation-based radiofrequency wand operates
at a lower temperature, allowing for more precise procedures than would be performed by traditional
surgical tools. Instead of exploding tissue structures under high temperatures, Coblation
technology gently dissolves target tissue, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
In the case of Topaz technology, the gentle tissue-dissolving process provided by Coblation
is applied specifically for the microdebridement of soft tissues such as tendons and fascia.
“By using Topaz to treat tendon injuries, we’re able to help people return to their normal
routines much faster than using traditional surgery,” said Dr. Mike McGlamry, an Atlanta-based foot
and ankle surgeon. “The surgical procedure takes only minutes to perform and recovery times
are much shorter than with traditional surgery.”
Thanks to this modern technology, more and more people suffering from tendon complaints are
working out again – and faster than they expected to.
To learn more about Topaz, or to fond a surgeon in your area utilizing the technology, visit
www.TopazInfo.com.
