INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Mitch Daniels had successful surgery Thursday to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder and is expected to return to his Statehouse office sometime next week, his office announced.
Daniels was resting at home after orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sandy Kunkel performed the outpatient surgery Thursday at Indiana Orthopedic Hospital Northwest in Indianapolis.
"The surgery went just as planned. The governor is in great physical shape and his recovery should be a quick one," Kunkel said in a news release from Daniels office.
Daniels was back in charge of the executive branch of Indiana government after temporarily handing those duties to Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, Daniels spokesman Jacob Oakman said.
Doctors had told Daniels that normal wear and tear might have caused the injury that was confirmed by an MRI last month, but the 61-year-old governor also hurt his shoulder during a fall in December 2009.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Bico, who was not involved in Daniels' procedure, told WTHR-TV the surgery is common.
"The rotator cuff is actually a group of four muscles. There is one on the front, one up top and two in the back of the shoulder," Bico said. A rotator cuff tear typically involves the one on top, he said
"The surgery is typically done for pain that has not responded to other treatment courses such as therapy or steroid injections and things like that. It a very common surgery to do with great outcomes done for the correct reason," Bico said.
After rotator cuff repair, 80 to 95 percent of patients achieve a satisfactory result, WTHR reported. Complications occur in about 10 percent of cases and include nerve injury, infection and retearing of a tendon.
Physical therapy afterward can last four months and Daniels likely will wear a sling for several weeks.
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