Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based Geisinger performed the first reverse shoulder replacement surgery in the world with a guarantee for the full cost of care throughout the patient's lifetime.
The surgery and lifetime guarantee are in partnership with Medacta Group SA, a Swiss company specializing in innovative and sustainable solutions for joint replacement, sports medicine and spine surgeries, according to a Nov. 19 system news release shared with Becker's.
Mark Pallis, DO, Geisinger's regional director of orthopedic surgery, performed the surgery at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre. A reverse shoulder replacement is a type of total shoulder replacement commonly performed in patients with arthritis or with a torn or nonfunctioning rotator cuff.
"This new guarantee allows us to expand our ProvenCare® commitment to include patients who qualify for total shoulder replacement, offering those patients a sense of security when making the decision to have the procedure," Michael Suk, MD, chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery, said in the release. "Standing behind our world-class joint replacement and spinal surgeries demonstrates Geisinger's commitment to making better health easier for our patients and communities."