Tendon trouble? Joint pain? Ever wake up with numb hands? Are you having difficulty opening jars, turning a key? These are common symptoms of arthritis, nerve compression and tendonitis.
These kinds of physical ailments can really affect the quality of your life - but in the past, it was often thought that it was better to ignore them.
"Today's most groundbreaking surgical procedures are not only highly effective,
with patients returning to their desired activity levels in record time, but they're remarkably less invasive. Often, my incisions are smaller than one centimeter. They're SO TINY, in fact, that they don't even require one stitch."
Dr. Justin Heller of Antelope Valley Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation Specialists (AVORS)
"The old way of thinking saw patients popping pills to cover symptoms as much as possible, or just encouraged folks to live with the pain, frustration and inconvenience. The only other alternative was surgery, which was invasive, had too-long recovery times and didn't always fix the problem," says Dr. Justin Heller of AVORS Medical Group.
Today, patients with similar complaints are
being treated with cutting-edge surgical procedures brought to the forefront by specialists like Dr. Heller, a well-recognized innovator in the field of micro-surgical procedures involving the hands and wrists.
"Micro-surgical" sounds great, but is this just another fancy phrase for a common practice? You won't think so after reviewing Dr. Heller's work. "Micro" is almost an understatement - these procedures are remarkably minute.
"I treat a good deal of patients with arthroscopic and fluoroscopic procedures that can entirely repair a wrist fracture - without a single incision. I treat many patients with trigger finger. The entire procedure is completed without one cut or scar. The 'surgery' is so minimally invasive, I can repair the damaged finger through - literally - the prick of a needle," says Dr. Heller.
And it's not only the incision size - or lack there of - that's impressive. "What's incredible is that my stitchless carpal tunnel treatment requires only half the recovery time as a traditional carpal tunnel surgery. At a week my patients are back to work, back to 'life' and feeling great. Plus, they have no stitches to remove," says the surgeon.
With substantially-shorter recovery times, patients are flocking to AVORS for today's most technologically-advanced treatments. "My contribution to AVORS is multi-faceted," says Dr. Heller. "I was brought in for my micro-surgical experience, of course, but also my plastic surgery specialty. Today's patients not only want a full recovery and the ability to return to the activities they enjoy, but they want a surgical procedure that leaves little scarring, if any, as well. They want to see a remarkable improvement in the quality of their life as quickly as possible - and that's what I work to provide," says the doctor. "As a partner in AVORS, I work with the entire team on complex cases. It's incredible to see how, when surgeons and specialists work hand in hand, patient satisfaction soars. It's really a unique way of doing things and one I'm grateful to contribute to."
AVORS Valencia office is now open and accepts most insurance plans. 661-705-5100
Dr. Heller's Education and Experiences
2013
American Board of Plastic Surgery Board Certification
2012
MOHS Fellowship
2011
University of California Irvine Orthopaedic Hand & Microsurgery Fellowship
2006-2011
University of Texas Southwestern Plastic Surgery Residency with specialization in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
2004-2005
UCLA Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Craniofacial Research Fellowship
2001-2006
Yale University School of Medicine