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Recently, I have seen an increase in second opinion requests from patients regarding Workers’ Compensation cases. These are hardworking people who have sustained injuries on the job and have sought to utilize their valued Workers’ Compensation benefits in order to get treatment and return to work as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Results showed a substantial percentage of surgical patients experienced exposure-related stress or anxiety, and the use of medical undergarments to cover their genitalia and buttocks significantly increased levels of patient satisfaction.
I first met Emmet his junior year, on the sidelines of his Varsity Football team’s home field. After a tackle, his right knee was hurting. When I examined him, he told me he had injured his LCL the previous year, but that this injury felt different. My examination demonstrated tenderness on the outside of his knee along the joint line but there was no swelling in the knee and he had full range of motion. I advised him to check in with the athletic trainer before practices and games and to keep an eye on the symptoms. He and I agreed that football is a rough sport and bumps and bruises are a daily occurrence. Emmet spent the next several weeks nursing his injury, wearing a supportive brace on and off the field, resting and icing his knee after practices and the four remaining games of the season. Avoiding Surgery: Most of my patients try to avoid surgery at all costs. Emmet and his parents were no different. Emmet did not want to downtime of a surgery and the subsequent physical therapy necessary for full recovery. Emmet’s parents were hopeful that the injury would heal when his season ended and the knee had an opportunity to rest. I always try to work with families to exhaust all non-surgical options before recommending surgery for student athletes. “I was feeling down because no matter how careful I was, how protective, or how attentive I was with icing, I couldn’t keep the pain at bay when I ran, “explained Emmet. “I felt the injury every time I stood up or climbed stairs, which as a was pretty often. What’s worse, I was inadvertently playing tentatively in order to protect my knee. I wasn’t happy with my performance and I knew I could do more to contribute on the field, but I couldn’t make it happen.” Deciding to Perform Surgery: When the season ended, the pain persisted and Emmet kept hoping the injury would heal. He continued to wear his knee brace daily to school, and although he was no longer playing football, his mobility was limited. In early March, Emmet’s knee pain was exasperated in a pick-up basketball game. His mother contacted me and I advised them to bring Emmet for an x-ray at OrthoIllinois, InjuryExpress. When that x-ray showed no fractures, I ordered a follow up MRI. The MRI showed a meniscus tear which is the cartilage between the bones of the knee. We scheduled Emmet for a diagnostic arthroscopy and possible lateral menisectomy, to be performed out patient at the OrthoIllinois Surgery Center. Meniscus surgery: Once in surgery, I discovered that Emmet’s meniscus was discoid in nature, meaning that it was oval rather than crescent shaped tear. The meniscus was too large. This is a congenital condition that he was born with and making him more prone to injury. A discoid meniscus can perform normally for the life-time of a patient but its commonly injured in high school athletes and young adults who participate in sports. It can be difficult diagnosis as it doesn’t present like a typical meniscus tear unless an MRI is obtained. We were able to remove the excess discoid portion of the meniscus along with the tear. The procedure basically returns the meniscus to its normal shape and function. Successful Recovery: I’m not surprised that Emmet’s recovery went as well as it did. Athletes are motivated to heal and put a lot of focus into their physical therapy and recovery protocols. “I appreciated the weekly sessions with Adam at OrthoIllinois Physical Therapy Center,” explained Emmet. “It gave me lots to work on and empowered me recognize my strength and mobility increasing throughout my recovery.” Emmet went on to have a successful spring Senior season, even if it was abbreviated by COVID-19. He led his team in squats in the weight room, and found himself on the field more than he had his previous year. Emmet no longer hesitated to protect an injury in making tackles or sacks and was quick enough to recover fumbles. He has committed to play football for Loras College this fall. Emmet is thrilled with his outcome. “I couldn’t be more grateful to Dr. Trenhaile and his team for helping me manage my injury,” says Emmet. “Without them, I wouldn’t be able to pursue the opportunities in my sport that I have before me today.”
Lab for Research – Lab for Education The vision of the Cadaveric Lab at the time of its inception in 2009 was education. The space was created to allow OrthoIllinois surgeons, other healthcare providers and technicians the opportunity to perform surgical techniques they had seen performed in live operating theaters. The profound educational value of the lab allowed for myself and others to host clinics and courses to groups of visiting surgeons, affording them the opportunity to both teach and learn surgical technique. Over the years the Cadaveric Lab’s list of amenities and services grew and to keep up with surgical innovation and continue to serve as not only a state-of-the-art educational facility, but also as a perfectly equipped lab in which surgical products are developed, tested, and observed, before being brought to market. State-of-the-Art Cadaveric Laboratory Available for Rent Currently, the Cadaveric Lab is available for rental for the purposes of intellectual property development, surgical procedure and skill development/ education, and real time surgical collaboration world-wide. Broadcast Surgery LIVE Worldwide More recently we have invested in the Cadaveric Lab’s robust video conferencing capabilities with Avail MedSystems high end cameras which can be controlled remotely by someone anywhere else in the world allowing people to log in and be in the room virtually while a surgery is being performed or a product is being surgically applied or implanted into a cadaver. Because the Cadaveric Lab is a non-profit center owned and operated by the Midwest Foundation for Orthopaedic Research and Education [MFORE], we can use it to conduct exciting Orthopaedic research and educational projects with residents and fellows that for which we might otherwise have difficulty securing funding. Fully Staffed Laboratory We’ve also made the execution of conducting projects in the lab incredibly easy for anyone in healthcare who may need it, by providing dedicated lab technicians who procure specimens, set up the flexible space for their exact needs. We are afforded great flexibility when scheduling these labs. They can run anytime during the regular business day and are often scheduled during evening and weekend hours as well. Having used this Cadaveric Lab since its first day, I’m impressed with the space it has become. I could not have predicted the world’s need for virtual surgical labs, and am so pleased that this facility has evolved into a perfect arena for both virtual and live group instruction and product development. Visit www.cadavericlab.com. View the gallery and learn about the specific amenities offered.
As I look back on my career in orthopedics the journey has not been one that I would have ever predicted. I completed a sports medicine/upper extremity fellowship in orthopaedic surgery in 2002 which gave me the tools I needed at the time to better care for my patients but after 19 years in practice, I have found that one of the most fascinating things about time is that it changes you. Hopefully for the better. I love technology and innovation and one of the most profound advancements in my time in practice has been GPS navigation for shoulder arthroplasty. In the beginning, my practice was primarily sports medicine and therefore I did a small number of shoulder arthroplasties. My upper extremity focus has grown over the years to include shoulder reconstruction. With increasing volume brings increasing complexity of cases, revisions and new challenges. As I started tackling more and more difficult cases I started asking myself the question “should I be doing these cases” and even more importantly, “are these cases even technically feasible to do?” In my opinion, the fear of the unknown sometimes drives surgeons to make the decision of whether they can help a patient with surgical intervention. I turned to technology to answer many of the technical questions I didn’t know the answer to such as ‘can I get this implant into this patient’s bone and will it perform as it should to accomplish the task at hand?’ The best solution I could find to help navigate the unknown was GPS as it provides me with critical anatomic measurements needed to answer the question “can this case technically be done” and then I must answer the question of “should I do it?” My first GPS case was on a patient whom I told for years that reverse shoulder arthroplasty was not an option due to extensive bone loss. I was wrong and the case was not only technically doable, but GPS made the case simpler. I quickly gained confidence in the system and began helping patients that otherwise wouldn’t have been helped in my practice prior to having access to GPS. The way I think about shoulder arthroplasty has changed as well. I have found that doing a pre-plan for patients can uncover surprises that happen preoperatively not intraoperatively. It’s such a great comfort to know that I can experiment with different possibilities of implants on a computer-generated model and never touch the patient. I feel more prepared and more confident in every case. Intraoperatively, I also have the ability to make minor deviations from the plan as I see fit with real-time feedback. GPS is time neutral in my hands because it eliminates intraoperative indecision. It also assists in cases of difficult exposure by eliminating guides and wires. The short-term benefits are obvious: great looking radiographs postoperatively and the confidence that I accurately achieved my plan. I find myself saying, “I would have never gotten to this place (on the glenoid) without using GPS.” Do we need to use it on everyone? At this point it is unclear. I would argue that GPS can make any surgeon more accurate while minimizing the potential for complications and give surgeons peace of mind. You don’t know what you are missing until you try it!
ROCKFORD (WREX) — OrthoIllinois has a new tool to help surgeons learn how to do different procedures safely. “The timing of it couldn’t have been any better with regards to COVID and those sorts of things, in terms of limiting the number of people, limiting the amount of traffic in the operating room or anywhere in a enclosed space,” Dr. Scott Trenhaile explains. The company now has Avail Medsystems Technology. It allows a surgeon to perform a procedure while the technology streams the operation to other surgeons, which allows them to watch what is happening from a different location. The technology also takes pictures, allowing those watching to analyze how the procedure is being done. However, it is HIPAA compliant and cannot record video. “Unless you’re scrubbed in on the case assisting the other surgeon, you can’t see as well as you can with this,” Dr. Trenhaile explains. “You cannot get the view that you can get here and it’s better not being scrubbed in and being in another room, or another state or country, for that matter.” OrthoIllinois says it just began working with the technology and has already performed a few procedures with it. Full article
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — OrthoIllinois has adopted a new technology designed to livestream operations to train other doctors. The Avail Medsystems tool allows medical staff from any where in the world to be able to observe the clinic’s surgeons at work. The technology consist of free-moving cameras which can be controlled by the viewer. OrthoIllinois doctors say it is the closest medical personnel can be to the operating room without having to scrub in. Dr. Scott Trenhaile hopes Avail will help other surgeons improve their techniques. “There’s medical students, there’s even surgeons from the U.S. and all over Europe, Asia, that would typically come visit but now they can do this virtually, without ever leaving their home,” he said. In Friday’s demonstration of the tool, staff were able to observe a shoulder surgery from the building next door. Full article
ROCKFORD — Two papers co-authored by Dr. Scott Trenhaile of OrthoIllinois were recently accepted by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine for presentation at its combined annual meeting with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. The presentation will be held in July in Nashville, Tennessee. The papers, “Treatment of partial-thickness rotator cuff repairs with absorbable bioinductive bovine collagen implant: 1-year results from a prospective multi-center registry,” and “Fullthickness rotator cuff tears treated with a collagen implant: 1-year Results of the REBUILD registry,” both share data on rotator cuff repair patients treated with a bioinductive implant that has revolutionized rotator cuff surgery. Dr. Trenhaile’s practice at OrthoIllinois focuses on arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder, elbow, and knee, and treatment of sports- or activity-related injuries. He serves as team physician to many local sports teams at the high school, college and professional levels and as clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and Assistant Professor, Rush Medical College, Rush University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Trenhaile is a frequent speaker and instructor at orthopedic conferences throughout the world and has hosted dozens of international surgeons in Rockford seeking instruction on his advanced arthroscopic surgical techniques. Trenhaile has been honored with the peer designation Best Doctors over multiple years. For information: orthoillinois.com. Full article
In light of the pandemic, orthopedic sports medicine coverage has essentially been parked for some time. As positive case numbers decrease, regulations have relaxed, and all activities, as we know them, are attempting to roll out “new normal” operations that prioritize the health of participants and minimize the spread of COVID-19. Where it has been a substantial piece of my practice for 20 years, I have not covered any sporting event as a sports medicine team physician since December of 2019. Returning to the stadium in my role serving the Rockford IceHogs for their home opener was exhilarating. The athletes are thrilled to return to competition. The energy was palpable, however so much has changed. We physicians are tested for COVID-19 prior to each and every game with either a standard one day turn around test or a rapid test depending on circumstances. We have contingency plans for game coverage in place. If a physician tests positive then another can cover in their place. Once our negative status is verified, we log into an ARMS app (Athlete Records Management System). This tool continuously monitors our health to protect the health of the athletes and colleagues around us. Once cleared, the ARMS app grants us a temporary admission into the stadium. Lanyards around your neck with your picture and credentials are a thing of the past. Digital credentials, stored on our phones are used to limit exposure. Space has become an essential priority. Equipment in the players’ work out areas have been reconfigured to allow for athletes to use them at a safe social distance from one another. Locker rooms have been relocated to larger spaces in order to make more room. Even the doctors are enjoying an unexpected upgrade in being assigned their own designated room/space in order to be accessible to meet medical needs but not “too close.” The stadium feel is completely different. The silence is eerie. There are maybe 100 people in the whole building including players, and coaches. You can actually hear the players communicate with each other. I definitely view the game and all the team members differently. Because our proximity is limited, the connection with the players is lessened, but the lack of crowd noise and the fewer people in the stadium actually improves the physician connection to the bench during live play. Despite the quiet, the play is great. It may be because the players are really hustling as if they really missed it or because I’m watching them live which is something I haven’t done in a very long time. Either way it was great to see them play! Some things feel the same…. the interaction with the players is similar. Hockey players are great to work with because they are motivated, driven, intelligent, and of course professional. This pandemic has tragically altered the whole world. There are many lessons we are learning that need to be gleaned in developing our “new normal.” I witnessed a slice of that applied wisdom in the protocols employed around the AHL season opener hockey game, right here in Rockford, IL, last Saturday. We can be smarter, more careful, and mindful about what we do and how we do it when around others. We can use better planning to inform better practices. The IceHogs and BMO organizations have done a super job with their start to the new season. Congrats to them for all their hard work. The vibe is higher energy with the fans. I know we will get there one day but hopefully we don’t forget the lessons along the way.
From WTVO: ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — OrthoIllinois has adopted a new technology designed to livestream operations to train other doctors. The Avail Medsystems tool allows medical staff from any where in the world to be able to observe the clinic’s surgeons at work. The technology consist of free-moving cameras which can be controlled by the viewer. OrthoIllinois doctors say it is the closest medical personnel can be to the operating room without having to scrub in. Dr. Scott Trenhaile hopes Avail will help other surgeons improve their techniques. “There’s medical students, there’s even surgeons from the U.S. and all over Europe, Asia, that would typically come visit but now they can do this virtually, without ever leaving their home,” he said. In Friday’s demonstration of the tool, staff were able to observe a shoulder surgery from the building next door. For full article: https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/rockford-medical-center-adopts-live-remote-surgery-technology/
From RRStar: ROCKFORD — OrthoIllinois surgeon Scott Trenhaile, MD, co-authored two papers published in the journal Arthroscopic Techniques’ December 2020 issue. Both papers address acromioclavicular joint reconstruction. The first, titled “Arthroscopically Assisted Acromioclavicular Joint Reconstruction Using Infinity-Lock Button System With Allograft Augmentation,” describes a minimally invasive technique for reconstruction that includes a hamstring allograft that may minimize reconstruction risks of clavicle and coracoid fracture. It also provides stabilization across the AC joint that may help resist naturally occurring displacing forces. The second technical paper addresses a low profile reconstruction without the allograft. This technique may also minimize reconstruction complication risk of clavicle and coracoid fracture and overlying skin irritation. Trenhaile’s practice at OrthoIllinois focuses on arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder, elbow, and knee, and treatment of sports- or activity-related injuries. For information: orthoillinois.com For full RRStar article: https://www.rrstar.com/story/news/2020/12/24/orthoillinois-surgeon-coauthors-two-articles/4040734001/
From RRStar: ROCKFORD — Four OrthoIllinois surgeons were selected as Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctors for 2020. Hand surgery specialists Brian Bear, Brian Foster and Kenneth Korcek and orthopedic sports medicine specialist Scott Trenhaile were selected by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. after being nominated by peer physicians in an online nomination process. Honorees are then selected from the nominees by the Castle Connolly physician-led research team based on criteria including their medical education, training, hospital appointments and disciplinary histories. Only 4 to 5% of doctors in America earn this prestigious honor. Bear, Foster and Korcek’s practices at OrthoIllinois are focused on elbow, hand, microvascular, traumatic and reconstructive surgery. Trenhaile’s practice is focused on the arthroscopic surgery of the knee and shoulder. Both Trenhaile and Bear perform shoulder replacement surgery. Each of the selected surgeons are clinical associate professors of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford, are actively involved in clinical research and have published numerous journal articles. For full RRStar article: https://www.rrstar.com/news/20200327/orthoillinois-surgeons-selected-for-honors-list
What does orthopeadic care look like currently in the midst of pandemic? I can honestly say I have never had to answer that question before. This is all new territory for all of us but I feel it’s imperative to let you know what we can and what we can’t do regarding the care of our patients. States across the nation have shut down including Illinois. Medical offices including orthopaedic have been deemed necessary businesses that can and should stay open. Therefore, we have had to figure out how to take care of our patients while focusing on that care being safe for the patients, safe for the staff, and safe for the community. When this all started it was like building an airplane that is already in flight (I borrowed that from a friend btw). ‘Never done it before and thus it seemed impossible. The rules change every day and we learn as we go. One thing we understand is if you need emergency care you can go to the hospital. If your injury is not an emergency then don’t. Walk in clinics are better. Not only bumps and bruises but also sprains, tears, and minor fractures. Clinics are open. Use them if you need to come in. If you think telemedicine visit can handle consider that first. Or even a phone call. Need an injection or therapy? It’s a possibility. Considerations like immune system have to be assessed. Surgery is also available for those that need it, in situations where outcomes would change if we wait. Every single case is considered on an individual basis. What about elective cases? Those we will assess later. There are many factors we must continue to observe before we can make a determination. We are watching government recommendations, as well as staying in tune with the hospitals and their resource needs. What I want patients to understand during this time is: WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
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Rotator cuff tears are very common in adults and are the leading cause of shoulder pain in people over 50 years of age. Patients with irreparable cuff tears may develop “Cuff Tear Arthropathy…
It’s that time of year again! Kids are headed back to school and fall sports like football and soccer are underway. As a team doc for several area high school football teams, Dr. Trenhaile is very familiar with injuries suffered on the field.
Rotator cuff disease is a common dilemma people face today. More than half of adults over the age of 60 endure some degree of rotator cuff tear explaining why it is the most common cause of shoulder…
Dr. Trenhaile has been invited to serve as a member of the Technical Advisory Group for the Hospital Harm Performance Measure that Yale/Yale New Haven Health Services Corporation…
Dr. Trenhaile received a patent this past November for an implement and procedure, which allows surgeons to address long head biceps pathology in the shoulder…
At the annual meeting of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) this October, Dr. Trenhaile was elected as an Associate Member. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons…
Since 2002, Dr. Trenhaile has been covering numerous athletic teams in the Rockford area including those of Rockford Lutheran, Belvidere North…
Developing and maintaining the superior physical condition of its professional athletes is of certain interest to The Chicago Blackhawks Organization. Dr. Trenhaile…
Local surgeon Scott Trenhaile recently co-authored an article, “Massive Rotator Cuff Repair With All-arthroscopic Patch Augmentation…
In 2010, the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) set out to learn better strategies for educating its member-surgeons. An…
A recent article in The American Journal of Sports Medicine tackles (pun intended) an often-asked question in recent years: when is it too early…
People ask all the time “If it hurts, should I push through it.” You have to get in tune with your body. Is it sore because you’re exerting…
Patients come to my office with shoulder pain for many reasons. One of the more common conditions in my shoulder practice is osteoarthritis…
Fitness is a life long journey with ups and downs and many different roads. Be willing to adapt to your injuries and your current needs. I don’t know about you…
Rockford orthopedic constructed a surgical teaching lab two years ago– helping a local doctor extend his reach globally.The world famous doctor…
Dr. Trenhaile is 1 of 7 U.S. surgeons participating in an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) pivotal human clinical study…
Compared with patients who underwent hemiarthroplasty or total shoulder arthroplasty, patients who underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty…
The condition of an athlete’s heart has for the first time been accurately monitored throughout the duration of a marathon race…
Sometimes people ask that question with preconceived notions that I have to make sure I alleviate or address before they leave…
Dr. Trenhaile’s goal is to provide you with the highest quality specialty orthopedic care available. He is absolutely committed to utilizing the most advanced standards and technologies to help you achieve the best outcome possible.
346 Roxbury Road
Rockford, IL 61107
Tel: 815-398-9491
Surgical Assistant + Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioning
Tori Homb, originally from the surrounding Rockford area, graduated from Walden University in 2019 with a Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioning. Tori has been working alongside Dr. Trenhaile since 2008 in the operating room as a surgical assistant. She has continued her education and transitioned into the advanced practice role as a nurse practitioner and now assists him with formulating diagnoses, treatment plans, as well as providing surgical assistance. Tori helps manage preoperative and postoperative patient care and sports medicine education. In her spare time, she enjoys playing recreational sports such as volleyball, softball, as well as working out, running, and spending time with her friends and family.
Registered Nurse + Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Kari was born and raised in Southern Wisconsin on a dairy farm. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from St. Anthony College of Nursing. Prior to joining Dr. Trenhaile’s team in 2004, Kari worked in the Neuro/Trauma ICU at St. Anthony Medical Center. Kari currently resides in Rockton, Illinois with her husband and enjoys hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.
Clinical Assistant Professor/ Orthopaedic Surgeon
Dr. Scott Trenhaile, Orthopaedic Surgeon from Rockford, Illinois, is dedicated to the continuous advancement of healthcare and specialized in knee, shoulder and elbow.
Physician Assistant
Michael Gilbertson, a native to Rockford, has been with Dr. Trenhaile’s team as a Physician Assistant since 2004 after graduating from Midwestern University. As part of the sports medicine department, Michael assists Dr. Trenhaile in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans as well as providing surgical assistance. Michael manages all preoperative and postoperative patient education. In his spare time he lives enjoys wakeboarding, hockey and spending time with his wife Kim and children Myles and Kylie.
Ana Holleman, has been with Orthoillinois since 2005 working various roles. In 2017 she joined Dr. Trenhaile’s team to be his surgery scheduler. Ana’s key roles in surgery scheduling include setting up medical clearances for patients, notifying the facilities of the procedure and equipment, pre-certifying the surgery with insurance and comforting patients.