“It was like Dr. Boykin gave me back years of life.”— David Sluder
Written by: Joy Payne
With a history of arthritis and heavy physical labor, Sluder knew that if his shoulder was as bad off as he expected, he could lose the ability to help his son and grandson with their landscaping business – a source of happiness for Sluder.
When the MRI and CAT scan came back, it was as Dr. Boykin suspected. Sluder had bone on bone arthritis and a total shoulder replacement was necessary in order to ease the pain and for his overall health. Because of the extensive amount of bone that had been worn down in Sluder’s shoulder socket, Dr. Boykin opted to use Intraoperative computer navigation to perform the anatomic shoulder replacement surgery.
Advancements in the technology in shoulder surgery over the past several years can help a surgeon in dealing with complex deformity, by creating a precise surgical plan before ever entering the OR. Dr. Boykin used this computer navigation to plan and calculate the exact angle of the amount of bone that needed to be corrected in Sluder’s shoulder socket and then placed the implant at the exact location and proper position.
“Intraoperative Computer Navigation technology allows us to perform anatomic shoulder replacements on some people who otherwise would have had a less-optimal procedure. It can also improve the patient’s function after surgery by being able to recreate their more normal anatomy,” says Dr. Boykin.
In early 2019, AdventHealth Hendersonville earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Centers of Excellence for Total Shoulder Replacement. “This type of technology and this Centers of Excellence designation means we have all of the tools, options and capabilities that are available in any other part of the United States. Patients don’t have to travel to get the most state-of-the-art total shoulder replacement. They can have this excellent care right here in Western North Carolina, where they live.
Knowing how much a full recovery meant to his patient, Dr. Boykin promised to do his best to get Sluder back to his active lifestyle and ultimately feeling whole.
Sluder recalls his experience saying, “This was my first time with AdventHealth and from the initial first contact with the care team, I knew that this was a place where I was going be cared for completely and where my whole health mattered. I have not found this type of care at any other place. I’ve heard lots of people talk a good game, but then never come through – AdventHealth came through and stayed true to what they claim their mission is. That says a lot about their promise to their patients.”
When Sluder woke up from surgery, he explains, “My shoulder felt brand new. It was like Dr. Boykin gave me back years of life. The pain was completely gone.” He goes on to explain that he truly believes that God equipped Dr. Boykin during his procedure to fix his shoulder.
With the help of physical therapy, Sluder is back cutting firewood and manicuring lawns for his community. And to his astonishment, Sluder found he had more range of motion after the surgery than before. He could not have been more pleased.
According to Dr. Boykin, the number of total shoulder replacements performed in the United States is rapidly growing. Individuals are more likely to see a physician about hip or knee pain because it impacts their walking/ability to get around, but with shoulder pain, people are more likely to live and deal with their discomfort because the shoulder joint is not a weight-bearing joint. By the time that the shoulder pain becomes too severe to push through, they may already be in need of a complete shoulder replacement. Dr. Boykin encourages anyone struggling with chronic shoulder pain, stiffness, a loss of their shoulder range of motion, or those noticing grinding in their shoulder that is painful to see a physician as soon as they can – it could completely changed their way of life moving forward.
