DAVENPORT, IA--(Marketwired - May 19, 2015) - If a biceps tendon ruptures, the now detached muscle and tendon retract and shorten, typically leading to loss of strength in the affected arm, reveals Dr. Tyson Cobb, an orthopaedic surgeon in the Quad Cities area. Traditional open surgery can be very effective at treating this condition; however, he says there are a number of drawbacks, such as the size of the incision and scar, length of recovery, and risk of complications, that minimally invasive techniques could help to reduce. Seeking to improve the patient experience and the outcome of biceps repair surgery, he and a team of specialists at the American Hand Institute invented a number of medical devices, including the endoscopic biceps retractor.

Dr. Cobb explains that the endoscopic biceps retractor device allows the repair procedure to be performed through an incision approximately one-inch in size. "The endoscope is used to retrieve the ruptured and retracted biceps tendon and fix the biceps tendon into the radius bone of the forearm through a small, cosmetically pleasing, incision." In addition to reducing the size of the scar, he says this method can offer a more rapid recovery and the potential for enhanced function and range of motion as compared with open surgery.

Dr. Cobb presented his research at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Hand Surgery last January showing that chronic distal biceps tendon ruptures can be successfully repaired without additional surgical procedures to harvest tendon grafts as is usually performed for chronic tears. Ultimately, Dr. Cobb believes the potential benefits of the innovative endoscopic biceps retractor device are innumerable, and he hopes that continued research into this area will yield additional improvements in technique and the development of other minimally invasive medical tools.

About Tyson Cobb, MD

Dr. Cobb is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon and the Director of the Hand and Upper Extremity Center at Orthopaedic Specialists, located in the Davenport, Bettendorf, Clinton, and the Quad Cities area. He earned his medical degree from the Texas Tech School of Medicine, after which he completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the Mayo Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Following his residency at Mayo Clinic, he completed a fellowship in microsurgery, hand, and upper extremity surgery at the University of Texas. Dr. Cobb is board certified and has completed a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand. In addition to being an active member of several prestigious medical organizations, he also holds patents to multiple minimally invasive medical devices, including the endoscopic biceps retractor. Dr. Cobb is available for interview upon request.

For more information about Dr. Cobb and his practice, please visit osquadcities.com and facebook.com/osquadcities.

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