Innovative Balloon Implant Brings Torn Rotator Cuff Relief
Eugenia (Gina) Orozco, a Washington Health environmental services aide for nearly 30 years, suffered a debilitating rotator cuff tear in 2009 after feeling a “pop” in her shoulder while lifting a bag of linen. Two failed surgeries and a decade of worsening pain followed — she couldn’t sleep on her left side, dry her hair, or reach a coffee mug from a cupboard. She eventually had to give up her job and retire early because the pain made work too difficult.
In early 2025, Gina was referred to Dr. John Costouros at Washington Health’s Institute for Joint Restoration and Research after an unrelated medical scare involving a lung lesion. Despite her apprehension after two previous failed shoulder surgeries, Dr. Costouros identified that her ongoing pain stemmed from bone-on-bone grinding caused by internal stitches from her earlier procedures. On February 25, 2025, he performed an arthroscopic procedure to clean out the scar tissue and insert a subacromial balloon spacer.
The biodegradable, saline-filled balloon implant allows smooth movement of the upper arm bone against the shoulder blade, offering faster recovery than traditional surgeries — approximately four weeks versus the typical four-to-six months. One year after surgery, Gina has regained full shoulder motion and is pain free. She now enjoys gardening and walking with both arms swinging naturally — something she hadn’t been able to do in over a decade.
