The Tendon Treatment Center is located in the UNC Orthopaedics Carolina Point II location. Its focus is on the evaluation and treatment of acute and chronic tendon injuries.
Tendon Treatment Center
The Tendon Treatment Center is a comprehensive diagnostic, monitoring and treatment program that provides patients with access to the latest medical and technological breakthroughs. Using advanced imaging technology, our team is able to identify with pinpoint accuracy the condition of your tendons to determine the best course of treatment specific to you.
Our imaging technology is only available in a few centers in the United States, and UNC has one of the largest clinical experiences in the world, conducting research with professional and collegiate athletes to perfect the technique. Combined with inter-disciplinary treatment options like medical management, biologics and minimally invasive surgery, this program is quickly becoming identified as the place to come if you have nagging tendon injuries or undiagnosed pain.
Our Imaging Technology
Our providers will use a variety of imaging modalities to diagnose your problem. This may include conventional imaging, ultrasound, MRI, CT and we have now added Ultrasound Tissue Characterization (UTC). UTC is a device that coverts a regular ultrasound image into a color enhanced 3D rendering that can detect the stages of wear on the tendon fibers based on structural changed within the tendon. The sensitivity of the system enables us to diagnose potential tendon problems much earlier than using convention ultrasound and provide an early warning system to identify potential injuries as well as better information on the improvement of your tendon throughout the healing process.
Advanced Diagnostic Testing
Using UTC, we are able to provide patients with tendinopathy a precise structural evaluation by examining the state of the tendon down to the level of individual fiber bundles. This approach enables us to identify exactly where the problem is and how damaged the tendon is or isn’t. As a result, we can tailor treatment to your specific problem.
Longitudinal Monitoring
For athletes and patients with active lifestyles, UTC can be used to monitor tendon wear over time. Our longitudinal monitoring program can provide patients with invaluable feedback and early detection of potential tendon injuries to enable them to adapt their activities to prevent injury.
Treatment Options
The tendon treatment program provides access to a wide range of treatment options. These treatments might include passive monitoring, rest, physical therapy, bracing, injections or minimally invasive surgery. While many other programs offer these treatment options, only at UNC can you receive a customized plan for your specific injury.
Interventions
Minimally invasive surgery is a minor procedure that allows the physician to fix damaged tendons without an expensive trip to the operating room, nor an admission to the hospital. Because this procedure is done in the clinic setting there is also no risk of general anesthesia. The procedure takes place in our outpatient clinic and may take as little as 45 minutes.
Athletic Team Monitoring Service
What if you could detect potential tendon problems in your athletes before they ended up in season ending injuries?
Using our UTC monitoring service, UNC can provide your team of athletes with a monitoring service to keep any eye on your athletes throughout the season. The monitoring scan takes a few minutes, and can be read and interpreted remotely by our physicians.
David J. Berkoff, MD
Director of Tendon Treatment Center