Dr. Barker Becomes the First Surgeon In NC to use new technology for Rotator Cuff Surgery

September 17, 2021 | By: Raleigh Orthopaedic Team

Raleigh Orthopaedic is excited to announce that Dr. Joseph Barker, a Raleigh Orthopaedic sports medicine physician,

became the first surgeon in North Carolina and one of the first surgeons in the country to place an InSpace Balloon for rotator cuff pathology of the shoulder.  The InSpace Balloon is used for patients with large rotator cuff tears that cannot be repaired. The balloon is placed through a small incision, and can decrease pain and improve function in patients with significant rotator cuff disease.

This technology has been in use outside the United States since 2010 with over 29,000 procedures performed in 40 countries. There have been over 30 peer reviewed clinical articles on the InSpace Balloon. The InSpace Balloon, which is made by Stryker Corporation based out of Michigan, was cleared earlier this year for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is the only FDA-cleared balloon implant for the treatment of massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears.

“I am very excited to be able to offer this advanced technology to patients right here in North Carolina,” Barker said. “Traditionally, patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears had few options to help with pain and function. The InSpace balloon is truly a game changer for helping improve quality of life in shoulder patients and can be performed in a minimally invasive fashion. With its extensive global track record, I am excited to be the first to bring it to our state.”

To learn more about shoulder problems, symptoms and treatment options, visit https://www.raleighortho.com/ or www.josephbarkermd.com.

About Joseph U. Barker, MD

Dr. Barker is a fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon in Sports Medicine. His areas of expertise include sports medicine, shoulder, hip and knee arthroscopy, and cartilage restoration. Prior to joining Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic in August 2010, he received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine, where he was awarded a Howard Hughes Fellowship for his orthopaedic research. He completed his internship and residency at Cornell University/Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and then was selected for a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. For further details on Dr. Barker, please visit: www.josephbarkermd.com.

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