Shoulder 2 Shoulder

By Leslie A. Mikell

Brothers and across-the-street neighbors Glenn Godfrey and Jason Godfrey of Florence can be described as “serial entrepreneurs.” Between the two of them, they own and operate Quality Air Tool (QAT), a business their father started in the late 1970s that now has offices in Florence, Raleigh, and Atlanta; Pee Dee Tank, a Florence-based storage tank manufacturer started in the 1950s; and are partners in Power Clean Systems, a car wash equipment company based in Sumter.

These brothers also share a passion for owning and acquiring industrial, commercial and retail properties in Florence. The pair stay busy with their business ventures and enjoy active lifestyles both at work and outside
of work.

However, a series of shoulder overuse injuries found both Jason and Glenn in the hands of Dr. Pat Denton, Orthopedic Surgeon at McLeod Regional Medical Center, and Medical Director of McLeod Orthopaedics.

Throughout his life, Glenn has stayed extremely active, playing tennis, running local road races, doing CrossFit exercises, and being constantly on-the-go at work. Over time, the wear and tear of these high-impact activities took a toll on his joints, especially his right shoulder.

Glenn previously received care from Dr. Denton for a knee injury, so he consulted him again for this new shoulder pain. “I trust Dr. Pat Denton and Nurse Practitioner Meredith Banner,” said Glenn. “They are who I called on first.”

After several years of local steroid injections in his shoulder, the pain continued to reduce his ability to do the activities he enjoyed.

“Based on Glenn’s symptoms and the MRI of his shoulder, he had a large chronic rotator cuff tear that had retracted to the point that traditional rotator cuff repair surgery would not be an option. His rotator cuff tissue was atrophied and severely torn. As a result, he was an excellent candidate for Superior Capsule Reconstruction,” said Dr. Denton.

“Superior Capsule Reconstruction (SCR) is minimally invasive shoulder surgery that repairs large chronic and retracted rotator cuff tears using allograft tissue (donor tissue) to rebuild or reconstruct the damaged rotator cuff tendons. This procedure yields a very strong repair of the torn rotator cuff and patients can quickly return to their daily activities,” he continued.

In November 2020, Dr. Denton performed Superior Capsule Reconstruction on Glenn’s right shoulder.

“I was impressed with the renewed mobility, motion, and strength in my shoulder within days after surgery. I had almost no pain at all, both after the surgery and during physical therapy,” recalls Glenn.

Jason also experienced pain in both of his shoulders from years of physical labor. He underwent rotator cuff repair surgery on his left shoulder with Dr. Denton in 2016. Eventually, the pain in his right shoulder reached the point where he could not complete everyday tasks at work, such as lifting. Jason was ready to consider surgery again.

“I saw Dr. Denton, and he explained the new shoulder reconstruction procedure he could perform. I knew my brother recovered very quickly from it, so I was willing to get my second shoulder done,” comments Jason.

In November 2021, a year after his brother Glenn underwent SCR surgery on his right shoulder, Dr. Denton performed the same surgery on Jason’s right shoulder.

“Although I’m 50 years old, my shoulders feel like I’m 20 again,” says Jason. “Dr. Denton completely rebuilt my shoulder.”

Glenn adds, “At first, I was hesitant to have the surgery because I was worried about the downtime, thinking I would be in a brace for months. If I had known it would be as easy as it was, I would have done the surgery months earlier.”

After their shoulder surgeries, the brothers both completed rehabilitation with McLeod Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Now, everyday tasks are simple and painless for them.

Dr. Pat Denton performed the Superior Capsule Reconstruction surgeries for both Glenn and Jason at the McLeod Outpatient Surgery Center in Florence, which is located on the first floor of McLeod Medical Park Five, on the McLeod Regional Medical Center campus. There, patients can have orthopedic surgery and go home the same day, without having to step foot in the hospital.

“Having the procedure at the Outpatient Surgery Center was very convenient and a smooth process. Everyone from registration to surgery prep had a warm and personable demeanor,” recalls Jason. “We checked in around 6:00 a.m., and I was discharged and ready to go home by noon that same day.”

Glenn says, “From the time I walked in the door to the time I left, every part of the experience was first class. Because of my experience and trust in providers like Dr. Denton and Meredith Banner, there’s nowhere else I would consider going but McLeod.”