Texas-based orthopedic surgeon Kevin Kruse has a unique claim to fame among his peers. He is part of the less than 1% of surgeons who are hyper-specialized in shoulder surgery. While there are a variety of factors that make this field so rare, such as a lack of diversity in the field, a need for better work conditions and training, and the small number of shoulder surgeons who complete residencies, Dr. Kruse has dedicated his life to mastering shoulder procedures and developing innovations in the field. One new innovation that has revolutionized Dr. Kruse’s private practice has been the ZuriMed SpeedPatch, a surgical tool that helps improve soft tissue repairs, resulting in less pain and faster recovery times for shoulder surgeries.
The SpeedPatch is part of ZuriMed’s FiberLocker System, which consists of two components: the SpeedPatch and the FiberLocker Instrument, which fastens the SpeedPatch to repaired shoulder tendons. The patch is made from non-woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers, which are ideal for surgery because of their biocompatibility and high tensile strength, which ensures that the fibers will not break down during routine surgical procedures. By weaving the patch’s fibers into the surrounding tendon tissue, the patch increases the effectiveness of traditional shoulder surgery techniques while also improving patient care.
Though the technology is relatively new, tests have shown positive results, leading to positive buzz among surgeons. Two ovine studies have shown no adverse effects on surrounding tissues, along with desirable effects on cell and tissue healing. Furthermore, 40 surgeons around the world who have tested the technology during cadaver labs have expressed favorable opinions about the technology. Kevin Kruse was the third surgeon worldwide to adopt this new technology and has since performed the most SpeedPatch implants in the world.
Dr. Kruse’s embrace of this new technology is a byproduct of his personal goal to provide concierge-level care at his private practices in Dallas and Plano. From his early career, he has been interested in learning the most effective surgical techniques and looking for the most innovative technologies that can make patients’ lives easier. While completing a fellowship for upper extremity surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and a fellowship for shoulder surgery at Clinique de l’Europe in Lyon, France, Kruse spent many nights practicing techniques like rotator cuff repair on his own by building a shoulder arthroscopy model at home. In addition, he spent many weekends working in a cadaver lab to refine his surgical knowledge and technique.
As his hard work developed into successful practice, he began building his reputation as a shoulder surgeon. He was eventually inducted into the Shoulder Society, an international organization representing the interests of shoulder surgeons all over the world. He also became one of two doctors in Texas to hold memberships in the organizations known as American Shoulder & Elbow Surgeons and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. According to Kruse, one of his proudest professional achievements was his decision to opt out of Medicare, since patients were willing to pay out-of-pocket because of his established reputation as a shoulder surgery specialist.
Through both his extensive training and his embrace of new technologies like ZuriMed’s SpeedPatch and FiberLocker System, Dr. Kevin Kruse is just one of the surgeons changing the game for the underrepresented field of shoulder surgery. New innovations and technologies will be necessary for the field’s continued growth and its eventual role as an essential specialization in orthopedic surgery. By making surgery easier and more beneficial, continued innovation will help shoulder surgery grow from an elite, exclusive group to a more widespread, readily available service for a continually aging population dealing with conditions such as rotator cuff degeneration and osteoarthritis.
Written in partnership with Tom White
