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TENEX

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Minimally invasive procedures require no or very limited intrusion into a patient’s body. The minimally invasive procedures used in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders typically include steroid or hyaluronic acid (HA) injections, orthobiologic or regenerative medicine treatments, and other non-surgical procedures like percutaneous tenotomy or radiofrequency ablation. As the technology and techniques around them have advanced, many of these less-invasive procedures have come to offer just as great an impact on healing and recovery as more traditional surgical approaches. Furthermore, they have some key benefits over surgery, specifically in the areas of patient safety, recovery time, and overall cost of treatment.

What Is TENEX?

TENEX is the trade name for a procedure, developed by clinicians at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, formally known as percutaneous tenotomy. It is a minimally-invasive, ultrasound-guided procedure that is performed under local anesthesia with the goal of removing the damaged tissue that is is the source of your pain, while leaving healthy tissue unaffected. TENEX accomplishes this by using patented ultrasonic technology. Once this damaged tissue has been removed, the soft-tissue structure has the room to help stimulate a renewed healing response.

Benefits Of TENEX

Because TENEX is a minimally invasive procedure, there are a number of benefits above and beyond pain relief. The procedure is performed in the outpatient setting under local anesthesia, so recovery time is minimal, and you will walk out of the office on the same day as your treatment. It does not require a large incision, so the risk of infection is markedly lower than surgery and scarring is minimal, which many patients appreciate. Finally, due to TENEX’s precision, patented technology, only the damaged tissue will be removed during the procedure, leaving healthy tissue intact to drive healing and recovery after the dead tissue has been removed.

Conditions Treated By TENEX

TENEX can be used to treat soft tissue injuries and conditions across the entire body. We have successfully used TENEX to treat patients for pain in the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, ankle, and foot. We use TENEX to treat some of the most prevalent orthopedic conditions today, including:

If you have tried a conservative treatment approach, including physical therapy, injections, and rest/ice, with no relief, TENEX may be for you. However, there is a lot of information that goes into determining whether or not the TENEX procedure is right for you. If you believe you might benefit from this revolutionary procedure, the first step is to schedule an appointment with the team at RestorePDX today. We will help you understand your condition, evaluate all of your treatment options, and choose the best path forward to recovery.

What To Expect

During the procedure, your physician will use ultrasound imaging to locate the damaged tendon tissue that is causing your pain. Once located, a tiny incision is made above the site of the damaged tendon so that a small, ultrasonic device can be placed under the skin near the damaged tendon tissue. This proprietary instrument emits ultrasonic frequency waves specifically calibrated to break down and simultaneously remove the damaged tissue while leaving the healthy tendon tissue unharmed. Removing this dead and dying tissue allows the tendon to properly heal itself, bringing relief from the pain, swelling, and inflammation of tendonitis. Furthermore, by selectively targeting the damaged tissue and leaving the healthy tissue intact, this procedure prevents unnecessary damage to healthy tissue and reduces recovery time. It is truly a precision treatment for tendonitis!

The TENEX procedure uses a microincision, so you will walk out of the office with nothing more than a small adhesive bandage. No stitches or sutures required!

Recovery After Tenex

The biggest advantage of a minimally invasive procedure is the drastic decrease in recovery time compared to traditional surgical procedures. Following your TENEX procedure, you will be helped up off the table and out of the treatment room. Because there are no large incisions or general anesthesia required for the procedure, you can go home on the same day within the first-hour post-procedure. In the following days, you will take over-the-counter pain medication if you feel discomfort, but no narcotic pain medication is warranted. Depending on where the procedure was performed, you may have a brace or boot to wear for the first two weeks. After two weeks, you will start to work back into your activities of daily living, under your physician’s supervision. We generally see full recovery six- to eight-weeks post-procedure.