Shoulder and Elbow

Shoulder and Elbow surgery is a specialty field in orthopaedics that deals specifically with the treatment of any painful condition or traumatic injury in the shoulder or the elbow. These conditions are extremely common, often painful, and can be very debilitating for patients. Shoulder and elbow problems include rotator cuff tears, shoulder dislocations, shoulder arthritis, elbow arthritis, tennis elbow, tendonitis, bursitis, throwing injuries, and shoulder and elbow fractures. It includes treatment of traumatic injuries, as well as wear and tear that develops over time. The treatment may include medications, like anti-inflammatory drugs, cortisone injections, rest from painful activities, bracing or sling wear, physical therapy, and surgery to correct the problem.

At the Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine (TISM), board-certified physicians are available to diagnose and treat your shoulder and elbow problems. Dr. Felix “Buddy” Savoie, Dr. Michael O’Brien and Dr. Kelly Hill are fellowship-trained shoulder and elbow surgeons, specializing specifically in the surgical management of shoulder and elbow problems. This includes minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder and the elbow to repair rotator cuff tears, ligament tears, tendon tears, shoulder dislocations, elbow dislocations, fractures, and cartilage damage. Dr. Savoie and Dr. O’Brien also perform open surgery to repair fractures and perform shoulder replacements and elbow replacements for arthritis. They perform advanced cutting-edge procedures, have pioneered several new arthroscopic techniques, and lecture nationally and internationally on the surgical treatment of shoulder and elbow problems. They treat athletes and spectators of all ages and strive to get patients back to full activities quickly and safely. TISM has on-site X-ray, MRI, and physical therapy to treat you from start to finish and get you back to your playing field.

The Doctor for You: Dr. Felix “Buddy”  Savoie, Dr. Michael O'Brien, and Dr. Kelly Hill