Hello, I am Dr. Jurek, a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon serving Bellevue, Washington. As a sports medicine physician, I specialize in repairing a wide range of shoulder injuries including rotator cuff tears, shoulder dislocation and Labral tears, to name a few. I also perform shoulder revision surgery in cases where individuals may have had prior, unsuccessful surgeries with other physicians. Total shoulder replacement surgery is one of the surgeries I perform most often and get results that leave my patients feeling relieved of the dreaded pain caused by arthritis (see video of my patient exercising after a total shoulder replacement). He is amazing!
"I visited Dr. Jurek as I needed a second opinion after a rotator Cuff surgery did not solve the paralysis in my shoulder…. With Dr. Jurek's guidance, support and expertise, I have full use of my arm. I do not believe that words alone can describe how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to be a patient of a Doctor that was so kind, caring and patient to work through the options to find the right solution. Thank you Dr. Jurek!"
"Dr. Sara Jurek was a wonderful surprise in a stressful situation. …our first visit ..Sara was understanding and sympathetic to my emotions. I felt an instant connection…I needed a rotator cuff repair, bicep tenodesis and a subacromial bursectomy. Sara specializes in shoulders and she took all the time I needed to understand exactly what and why we had to do the surgery. My surgery turned out terrific and I am well on my way to a full recovery. I would trust her to work on anyone in my family and tell everyone about how amazing she is! No one wants rotator cuff surgery but if you need to have it call Sara Jurek."
"I have had reverse shoulder replacement surgery on each shoulder this past year, five months apart.. I'm pleased to say that the outcomes so far have been far better than I had expected, with very little pain after surgery and smooth and quick recoveries. I was swinging a golf club after 6 weeks, and was playing golf just 8 weeks after my first surgery. I had a similar and even better result, with even less pain and quicker recovery time, after my second surgery. I would certainly recommend Dr. Jurek to anyone for shoulder replacement surgery…She is really terrific."
In the initial consultation, Dr. Jurek will sit down with you and discuss your history, your symptoms, your concerns, your goals, and will answer any questions you may have. She will first find out how your shoulder pain started and use the details of your history to guide her physical exam, which she will perform once she has a thorough understanding of your shoulder injury/pain. Dr. Jurek and you will review your imaging together (usually at least x-rays and sometimes an MRI, CT scan, bone scan, and/or ultrasound, depending on what you have brought with you to the visit from other providers). You will discuss the findings together and will make a plan as to next steps based upon those findings.
The evaluation and treatment of a rotator cuff tear needing surgery consists of an initial consultation with review of x-rays, a physical exam, and likely a plan to have an MRI of your shoulder performed if you don’t already have one. The MRI is a medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create very detailed images of your shoulder (it is especially good at showing soft tissue structures like the rotator cuff tendons and provides valuable information as to whether or not the rotator cuff is torn and if the rotator cuff muscles are atrophied). MRI images are made without the use of any ionizing radiation and MRI is considered one of safest technologies for imaging the body. The MRI scanner is a large tube with the magnet inside and when you undergo an MRI, you will lay inside this tube as the images are taken.
The MRI results will help guide treatment of your rotator cuff injury and if surgery is indicated, Dr. Jurek will discuss the considerations and details of rotator cuff surgery with you during your visit. Her scheduler will talk with you about timing and a surgery date will be confirmed
The week before surgery
Dr. Jurek strongly encourages you to go to her website for extensive information regarding what you can do ahead of your rotator cuff repair surgery to make your recovery as smooth as possible. You can purchase an ice machine and/or rent a motorized recliner to help reduce postop pain and make sleeping easier. You can make sure you have loose-fitting, easily-donned clothes to wear after surgery and make sure you’ve removed any obstacles around your house that might trip you.
The day and night before surgery
Dr. Jurek recommends showering and using a special soap called chlorhexidine (unless you are allergic) the day before surgery. You will be required not to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery.
The day of surgery
Dr. Jurek will meet with you ahead of time to answer any questions and go over the plan for the next few days after surgery. The anesthesiologist will also talk with you, answer questions, and go over the anesthesia plan for your surgery. You will then walk to the operating room where you will be greeted by the OR nurse and the scrub tech (the person who hands Dr. Jurek the surgical instruments during your surgery) and you will lay down on the OR table. The anesthesiologist will hook you up to monitors and start administering medications. The anesthesiologist will perform an ultrasound-guided regional nerve block to numb the nerves that supply sensation to your shoulder to help significantly reduce your postoperative shoulder pain. The anesthesiologist will then put you to sleep and Dr. Jurek and her team will carefully position you on your side during the surgery. Dr. Jurek will then repair your rotator cuff and when the surgery is completed, you will wake up with your arm in a sling called a shoulder immobilizer.
The days after surgery
The hard part (surgery) is over but now a different hard part begins. Typically, the most challenging part of the days after rotator cuff repair surgery is making sure that you have good pain control and making sure that you are being very careful with your shoulder. You are not allowed to actively lift your operative shoulder away from your body or to pick up anything heavier than your cell phone for about six weeks after surgery and this can pose quite a challenge. As your shoulder starts feeling better and better a week or two after surgery, the challenge then becomes making sure that you continue to be vigilant about protecting your shoulder and not lifting or using it to ensure optimal healing of your rotator cuff repair.
You will follow up with Dr. Jurek approximately 10-14 days after your surgery for a check of your incisions, a discussion of the plan for the next few weeks, and a review of your intraoperative pictures and videos from the surgery.
The evaluation and treatment of a patient who may benefit from shoulder replacement surgery consists of an initial consultation with review of x-rays, a physical exam, and likely a plan to have an MRI and/or a CT scan performed (if you don’t already have one).
The MRI results will help Dr. Jurek know whether to recommend an anatomic total shoulder replacement (if your rotator cuff is healthy) or a reverse total shoulder replacement (if your rotator cuff is torn or very thin). The CT scan shows excellent detail of the bones of your shoulder and will help Dr. Jurek decide if a reverse total shoulder is necessary and will help plan positioning of the implants during surgery.
Dr. Jurek will discuss the considerations and details of shoulder replacement surgery with you during your visit. Her scheduler will talk with you about timing and a surgery date will be confirmed.
The week before surgery
Dr. Jurek strongly encourages you to go to her website for extensive information regarding what you can do ahead of your rotator cuff repair surgery to make your recovery as smooth as possible. You can purchase an ice machine and/or rent a motorized recliner to help reduce postop pain and make sleeping easier. You can make sure you have loose-fitting, easily-donned clothes to wear after surgery and make sure you’ve removed any obstacles around your house that might trip you.
The day and night before surgery
Dr. Jurek recommends showering and using a special soap called chlorhexidine (unless you are allergic) the day before surgery. You will be required not to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery.
The day of surgery
Dr. Jurek will meet with you ahead of time to answer any questions and go over the plan for the next few days after surgery. The anesthesiologist will also talk with you, answer questions, and go over the anesthesia plan for your surgery. You will then walk to the operating room where you will be greeted by the OR nurse and the scrub tech (the person who hands Dr. Jurek the surgical instruments during your surgery) and you will lay down on the OR table. The anesthesiologist will hook you up to monitors and start administering medications. The anesthesiologist will perform an ultrasound-guided regional nerve block to numb the nerves that supply sensation to your shoulder to help significantly reduce your postoperative shoulder pain. The anesthesiologist will then put you to sleep and Dr. Jurek and her team will carefully position you on the OR table. Dr. Jurek will perform your shoulder replacement and when the surgery is completed, you will wake up with your arm in a sling called a shoulder immobilizer.
The days after surgery
You will follow up with Dr. Jurek approximately 10-14 days after your surgery for an incision and x-ray check and a discussion of the plan for the next few weeks.
Bellevue is a city located in King County, Washington, just across Lake Washington from Seattle. While some patients living in Bellevue may feel more comfortable going to a local physician for their routine healthcare, when it comes to something more serious like having shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff or to alleviate arthritis pain, seeing an Orthopedic Shoulder Specialist is the right choice. Dr. Sara Jurek is available to help you find the best solution for your shoulder pain, be it surgical or non-surgical treatment.
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