Shouldering pain no more


Dosher doctor, nurse go extra mile to comfort patient


Susan Byrne can once again throw a ball on the beach to her dog, Virgil, after rotator cuff repair surgery at Dosher last year.


When the pain in her right shoulder became so severe that it interfered with her sleep on a nightly basis, Susan Byrne knew it was time to consult a doctor.

Susan and her husband, Kevin, were relatively new residents of Southport, having moved from Connecticut five years ago, where they patronized larger university hospitals. She asked for recommendations of local surgeons in Southport and ultimately made an appointment with Eric J. Lescault, DO, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with OrthoWilmington on staff at Dosher Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Lescault diagnosed Susan with a torn rotator cuff--a group of muscles and tendons that form a cuff over the shoulder, holding the arm in its "ball and socket" joint--and told the software quality assurance tester she should consider scheduling outpatient surgery.

"Of course, I didn't want surgery, but I had been living in pain a long time," Susan said. "At the end of the day, the pain in my shoulder would start while I was sitting and watching television, and then get really bad when I tried to sleep. Two major factors in my decision to choose Dr. Lescault were his great reputation, and Dosher's convenient location to my home. He assured me the surgery was necessary, and that it would eliminate my current pain. He was 100 percent spot on, and he gets my highest praise."

"Ms. Byrne had a rotator cuff tear and also a small biceps tendon tear, which has the second-highest concentration of nerves in the shoulder, and so is a source of huge pain," Dr. Lescault said.

Shortly after consulting with Dr. Lescault, Susan's rotator cuff surgery was scheduled for February of 2015. She said that the process went smoothly and Dosher's staff, including her pre-surgery nurse Carol Letts, RN, went the extra mile to explain the different tests and procedures to her, which involved bloodwork, an electrocardiogram (EKG), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and pre- and post-op care.

Within a few days, Susan began outpatient therapy, and the following week returned to work. Now 14 months post-surgery, she's fully recovered and feels as good as new.

"I'm thrilled that Dosher's right here in town," Susan said. "The entire experience was awesome. I'll do what I can to make sure my friends and neighbors support Dosher Memorial Hospital as well."

Board-certified orthopedic surgeons who perform this procedure at Dosher are: Thomas Kelso, MD, PhD, Eric Lesault, DO, and Michael Marushack, MD, each of whom can be reached at 910-332-3800.


Eric Lesault, DO