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Feature StoryPolice officer chooses

amputation after being shot on duty

Summer 2014

Free Publication – Please Take One

Also in this issue:Do I have carpal

tunnel or arthritis?

OrthoIndy welcomes new physicians

OrthoIndy surgeon becomes the patient

Have your cookout and enjoy it too

2 | Summer 2014

Chief Executive Officer, OrthoIndy and IOHJane Keller, RN

President of OrthoIndyTimothy Dicke, MD

EditorMegan Skelly, Public Relations Coordinator

Graphic DesignerJackie Bilskie

Contributing WritersTimothy Dicke, MDMishay Ellis Clay Gillespie Kasey PrickelMegan SkellyAndrew Vicar, MD

Contributing PhotographersJackie Bilskie

No referral needed.

OrthoIndy is your one stop shop for bone, joint,

spine and muscle care.

Request an appointment online at

OrthoIndy.com/request.

Letter from the CEO

At OrthoIndy and IOH, we are committed to our patients. That's why we have created the semi-annual publication, Beyond Your Bones. We hope that you find the information in this publication resourceful.

In this issue, meet our newest patients. We are so honored our patients are willing to share their stories about their experiences at OrthoIndy and IOH. Also in this issue, meet our newest physicians, learn to differentiate between carpal tunnel verses arthritis and how to grill out in a healthy way.

We hope you find the information in this issue educational. We welcome suggestions and comments by emailing us at support@orthoindy.com.

Best wishes and good health,

Jane Keller, RNChief Executive Officer

Insta

We want to hear from you.Write a review, read the latest

OrthoIndy news or post pictures on our sites.

Are you an OrthoIndy patient?Tell us your story at

OrthoIndy.com/MyScarMeans.

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4. Patient Journey Lawn mower victim gets new chance at life

6. OrthoIndy Welcomes New Physicians

7. Jane Keller Receives Excellence in Leadership Award

8. The Girl Who Won’t Quit Patient experiences life without the injury that’s challenged her since she was a child

11. Ask the White Coat

12. My Time in Haiti A note from OrthoIndy President, Dr. Timothy Dicke

14. The Man with a Mission After knee surgery, patient competes in the One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

16. OrthoIndy and IOH’s New PAT Clinic and Hospitalist Program

18. Officer Not Down Police officer chooses amputation after being shot on duty

22. OrthoIndy Surgeon Becomes the Patient Dr. Jack Farr undergoes surgery on his left knee at IOH

24. Life After Cancer Three-time cancer survivor counts on OrthoIndy

27. Rate Your OrthoIndy Physician

28. Living with Scoliosis Spinal fusion helps patient experience a life without pain

30. Have Your Cookout and Enjoy it Too Fruit and vegetable grilling tips for your next barbeque

31. OrthoIndy Nights at Indianapolis Area High Schools

32. Overcoming Obstacles Deaf patient finds comfort in visiting OrthoIndy

35. OrthoIndy and IOH West Location Easy access to orthopaedics for Hendricks County residents

On The CoverMeet Marty Dulworth, an Anderson police officer who was shot on duty. After months of struggling to return to his active lifestyle, Marty chose amputation.

4 | Summer 2014

Patient Journey By: Mishay Ellis

OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital Give Lawn Mower Victim New Chance at LifeJames Knoblett was a happy, rambunctious and play-ful seven-year-old. The end of the school year grew near, and he was excited for summer to begin. James was outside playing while his older brother was mow-ing the yard. When his mother looked out the window to check on them, everything was fine. Seconds later, every parent’s worst fear happened. James had slipped on the grass and his left foot was trapped underneath the riding lawnmower.

“James was completely silent; he was just so shocked,” said his mother, Jan.

The young boy was air-lifted to a local hospital with a partially severed left foot. The rusty lawnmower blade was still in his foot when he was taken into the trauma bay. The on-call physician told the family that James had an incomplete amputation of his left foot and that the probability of saving James’ foot was grim. If it could be saved, he would never be able to run, and he would most likely walk with a limp for the rest of his life.

Many people forget that lawn mowers are very power-ful tools, and lawn mower injuries account for a large percentage of accidental partial or complete amputa-tions. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 253,000 people were treated for lawn mower-related injuries in 2010. Children under 19 account for about 17,000 of these injuries

James went through several blood transfusions, a reconstructive surgery, had external fixators,

a growth plate removed and many irrigation and debridement treatments on his left foot. Over the years, there was only one physician James and his family trusted with this difficult case: Dr. David Brokaw.

Dr. Brokaw is an OrthoIndy surgeon who specializes in trauma and foot and ankle orthopaedics. He made the James’ family feel calm during a hectic time in their lives.

Fast forward to July 2013, when James went to the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital (IOH) to have an arthros-copy and Achilles lengthening surgery performed by Dr. Brokaw. James had a growth plate injury when he was a child, which caused a growth arrest at his ankle joint. He developed arthritis in his ankle and needed the arthroscopy to smooth out the joint. His ankle became very stiff because of this and needed an Achilles lengthening surgery to fix it.

“It amazes me how James overcame this injury,” said Dr. Brokaw. “It never stopped him from doing any-thing he ever wanted to do in life. He sent me a photo of him playing baseball about a year after his injury with a thank-you letter; I have it framed and displayed in my office.”

“Dr. Brokaw was the one person who allowed me the opportunity to live an active and normal life after such a gruesome injury,” said James. “Out of all the surgeries I’ve endured, IOH and Dr. Brokaw were the only ones who made all my nerves go away. I knew I was in excellent hands.”

James has never used his injury as an excuse for anything in his life.

“My life has been full of both pain and personal accomplishments,” said James. “I’ve dealt with years of surgeries along with the aches and pains that come with my particular injury, but I’ve also managed to accomplish many things and activities that I wasn’t ‘supposed’ to be able to do. I was told after my first few major surgeries that I wouldn’t be able to run or play any active sports and that I’d probably walk with a noticeable limp for good. I ended up playing basket-ball from sixth grade through my senior year and also ran two years of track in high school.”

James was able to live the happy and active lifestyle of a young boy and is still going strong in his 20s. He is able to take long walks with his family and even plays the occasional pick-up game, of football or basketball with friends.

James had an ankle fusion surgery December 2013 and moved to River Walls, Wisconsin in February for a new job opportunity. Before leaving, he stopped by OrthoIndy to see Dr. Brokaw and everything looked great on his X-ray. James is on his feet 12 hours a day but is feeling good. Even though James lives in Wiscon-sin he continues to see Dr. Brokaw as his physician.

David Brokaw, MDSpecialties: Acute Orthopaedic Trauma, Clinical Interests in Reconstructive Surgery, Hindfoot and Worker’s Compensation

Located at: OrthoIndy Northwest and OrthoIndy South

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Brokaw, please call (317) 917-4388 or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

6 | Summer 2014

Physician Update By: Megan Skelly

OrthoIndy Welcomes New Physicians

Zachary H. Dodd, MDBoard CertifiedNeurosurgeonDr. Dodd is a neurosurgeon, with a practice focus in spine. Dr. Dodd received his bachelor’s in biology, graduating magna cum laude in 2001 from Wabash College.

In 2005, he obtained his doctorate from Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed an internship in general surgery in 2006 and his residency in neurological surgery in 2012, both at Indiana University.

Dr. Dodd is a member of American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Dr. Dodd is accepting patients at OrthoIndy Northwest and South locations. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dodd, please call (317) 802-2444 or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

Greg Poulter, MDBoard CertifiedOrthopaedic Surgeon, SpineDr. Poulter is an orthopaedic surgeon, with a practice focus in spine. Dr. Poulter graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, receiving his bachelor’s

degree in biochemistry in 1995. In 2002, he graduated magna cum laude from MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine. Dr. Poulter completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Michigan

in 2007 and an orthopaedic spine fellowship from the University of California, San Francisco in 2008.Previously, Dr. Poulter worked as a spine surgeon at Vail-Summit Orthopaedics in Vail, Colorado. While there he was a founding member and chairman of the Vail-Summit Research and Education Foundation.Dr. Poulter belongs to the American Academy of Orthopaedics Surgeons, the North American Spine Society and the Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.

Dr. Poulter is accepting patients at OrthoIndy North-west, South and OrthoIndy at St.Vincent Indianapolis, locations. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Poulter, please call (317) 802-2424 or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

Jonathan P. Yim, MDBoard CertifiedAnesthesiologyDr. Yim is an anesthesiologist practicing at IOH. Dr. Yim earned his undergraduate degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana in 1984.

He completed medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine in 1993. He did an internship at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana in 1994 a nd finished his anesthesiology residency at Indiana University School of Medicine in 1997. Dr. Yim was board certified in 1998.

Dr. Yim is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Indiana Society of Anesthesiolgists and American Medical Association.

OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital (IOH) are pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Zachary Dodd, Dr. Greg Poulter and Dr. Jonathan Yim.

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Awards By: Megan Skelly

Chief Executive Officer of OrthoIndy and IOH, Jane Keller, has received the Excellence in Leadership Award from Executive Women in Healthcare (EWHC). EWHC is known for honoring Central Indiana women for their exemplary leadership in healthcare.

“I am honored to be the recipient of such a distin-guished award that recognizes women in leadership roles,” said Keller. “I feel privileged to be recognized among other strong female leaders who are dedicated to making an impact on the delivery of healthcare.”

The Excellence in Leadership Award is given out to individuals who meet the following criteria: • Individualisrecognizedasaleaderinhealth care, as well as in the community at large, by making an impact on healthcare delivery through visionary and innovative approaches whether as a volunteer or in a compensated capacity. • Individualcreatesanenvironmentthat enhances the image of her own organization, as well as the image of executives in the healthcare community generally. • Individualparticipatesinthedevelopment of leadership opportunities for women in healthcare roles. • Individualprovidesexamplesofleadership in community service, whether in healthcare or other areas.

Keller graduated from Ball State University with a degree in nursing. She worked for Methodist Hospital as a nurse, patient care manager, clinical manager/shift coordinator and finally, director of perioperative performance.

While receiving her MBA from Butler University, Keller began working at OrthoIndy as the executive director/nursing director of the surgery center. She was pro-moted to the chief nursing officer at IOH in 2005 and became the hospital’s chief executive officer in 2006.

In 2013 she was named chief executive officer of OrthoIndy and IOH. Keller works with the board of directors to create and implement the companies’ strategic plan to ensure the highest level of patient satisfaction.

Keller is involved with a number of national and local organizations. She is the advisory board chair for the Indiana Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, regional board member for the Arthritis Foundation, a member of the Healthcare Advisory Board for Women’s Choice and a member of the council of hospital governance for the Indiana Hospital Association.

Keller currently resides in Zionsville, Indiana with her husband John and their three children, Graham, Luke and Emma. She has a love for sports and can often be found cheering on the sidelines at one of her kid’s sporting events.

Jane Keller, CEO of OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital, Receives Excellence in Leadership AwardKeller recognized as female leader in healthcare and community at large

8 | Summer 2014

She was only 10 years old, but playing in the back-yard was comparable to playing in the Superbowl. Just after finishing practice for field hockey, she dove directly into a game of touch football with her friends.

“I caught a touchdown pass and stepped on uneven ground,” Kali Mutty, now 20, explained. “It forced my patella to dislocate medially, and then again laterally.“

Kali’s intense pain overcame her as her father car-ried her from the football field to the emergency room. “I had never experienced that much pain before,” Kali said. “My first knee physician put me in a half-cast for three months, but it clearly did not treat the underlying issue.”

Kali is not a quitter. She has a fiery, warrior-like attitude. Even as an adult, her passion is obivious as she talks about her struggles, achievements and life story. Despite her extraordinary knee injury at a young age, Kali keeps a strong mentality and fights through her pain. She continued playing field hockey, basketball and volleyball throughout middle school and high school, and currently competes on a college level with the Florida State Field Hockey Club Team. She kept fighting the near-constant pain, but her situation was so severe physicians from out of state eventually referred her to Dr. Jack Farr, orthopaedic knee specialist at OrthoIndy.

Before Surgery“Two physicians, both of whom I trust wholeheartedly, recommended Dr. Farr at OrthoIndy for this procedure as the best option. I decided to go through with it,” Kali said. She was in Florida at the time, preparing to fly to Indianapolis with her parents for the surgery.

Prior to this visit, she and her father traveled to Indianapolis over winter break to meet with Dr. Farr in person.

“My dad and I really liked him and we knew that he would do his best to help me,” Kali said. “I would be willing to travel anywhere to work with a physician like him.”

“She had a developmental problem with how the kneecap rides on the thighbone in her left knee. Instead of a normal groove, her thighbone was misshapen,” said Dr. Farr. “She had progressive dete-rioration of the knee cap and distal thigh to the point of the cartilage wearing down to bone. Thus, she had continued pain and knee cap instability.”

The Girl Who Won’t Quit Patient experiences life without the injury that’s challenged her since she was a childBy: Clay Gillespie

Because of this, Dr. Farr felt the best route of action for Kali’s recovery would be to find a donor. They needed a kneecap and part of thighbone to transplant.

“I’d never been so nervous for sur-gery,” Kali explained. “I’ve traveled away from home for surgery before, but it’s a little uncomfortable having to stay in a hotel. I’d rather be at home in my own bed, cuddling with my cat.”

On May 13, 2014, Dr. Farr transplanted a donor kneecap and thighbone groove to treat Kali’s loss of cartilage and misshapen bones. The fit was a match between Kali and the donor, and Dr. Farr said the knee-cap fit smoothly. Kali spent a few days in Indianapolis, and then flew back home to Florida to recover.

Recovery“For ten years of my life, every time I bent my knee my patella would dislocate. It didn’t matter how many sur-geries I had,” Kali said. The first few days were rough, as with any surgery, but Kali simply wouldn’t quit.

“Now, after the transplant, my left knee feels more stable than my right knee! That’s one part of my physi-cal and emotional recovery that has outshined every-thing else. The procedure I underwent appears to have actually worked!”

Within the first few days of physical therapy, Kali was able to clearly notice a difference in her ability to func-tion. On her first day of therapy, every time she lifted her leg, her knee would bend. The following day, she was able to keep her leg completely straight, as it’s supposed to.

“It amazes me that every single day, I feel some sort of validation that I’m recovering physically,” Kali said. “I didn’t think I’d ever feel this again.”

As Kali spoke about her recovery process, she explained how she was feeling mentally as well.

“Psychologically, I have to get used to it. Every time I bend my knees, I prepare myself for it to dislocate as it always has. But it doesn’t. I think that will take some time for me to get used to. I can’t express how

crazy it is to me that I now have a knee that actually functions how it’s supposed to!”

It amazes me that every single day, I feel some sort of validation that I’m

recovering physically.

Moving ForwardKali’s story has been inspiring. For ten long years, she never once gave up. She went through some major physical and social hard-ships due to her injury, but always stayed active regardless of the pain. The passion in her voice tells stories of how she constantly pushed through an injury that should have kept her down.

“I’m so thankful for Dr. Farr, Megan Dunning, Dr. Farr’s physician assistant, and the rest of the IOH surgical staff,” Kali said. “I’d also like to give a special thank you to Mary. She was my nurse from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Those are difficult hours to work, but she was absolutely incredible. She spent so much

time sitting and talking with me that it really got my mind off any pain I was experiencing.”

“My scar means… I no longer have to say I can’t.”

Jack Farr II, MD

Specialties: • KneeRestoration • SportsMedicine • IndustrialMedicine/ Worker’s Compensation • Research

Located at: OrthoIndy South1260 Innovation Pkwy.Greenwood, IN 46143

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Farr, please call (317) 884-5163or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

Ask the White Coat

Question: Do I have carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis?

Answer: Carpal tunnel syndrome results from compression of the median nerve in the hand when the transverse carpal ligament compresses the nerve. There are eight small bones in the wrist called carpal bones, which form the floor of the carpal tunnel and the ligament forms the roof. When swelling occurs in this tunnel, symptoms develop. The median nerve gives sensation to the thumb, index, long and one-half of the ring finger and supplies muscle power to the thumb.

Patients, particularly those over 50 years of age, frequently think they have osteoarthritis causing the pain in their hands. They mistakenly think nothing can be done to help, and they are frustrated because they are uncertain of what is causing the pain. Often the patient may actually have carpal tunnel syndrome. If that’s the case, it’s easy to resolve and relieve the symptoms.

Symptoms include numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and long finger. Some patients have palm, elbow, shoulder and finger pain, forearm ache and occasional swelling. Weakness and dropping items can also occur. Patients often wake up at night with numbness or pain and shake their hands for relief, and patients also may report numbness or tingling while driving a vehicle, writing, holding a brush or drying one’s hair.

An orthopaedic hand specialist can confirm carpal tunnel syndrome with some simple painless tests during a physical exam. Additionally, a nerve test is usually ordered for confirmation. Once confirmed, treatment may be as simple as wearing a splint, mak-ing “ergonomic changes” to your workstation, or a simple 10-minute operation to release the transverse carpal ligament and relieve the pressure on the nerve.

In contrast, osteoarthritis is pain in a particular joint in the hand. When joints lose their cushion, also known

as cartilage, joint pain develops with pinch and grasp. Numbness and tingling are not “hallmark” symptoms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis in the hand is developmen-tal and, in some cases, genetic. The most frequent joint to have arthritis in the hand is at the base of the thumb. This is technically called the carpo-metacarpal joint. It occurs in approximately 25 percent of women and 10 percent of men over 45 years of age.

A characteristic symptom of osteoarthritis is pain with pinch and grasp at the base of the thumb, nearer to the wrist. This is not carpal tunnel. Other small joints in the hand that may be affected are the ones near the fingernail, called the DIP joint, along with the next joint back in the middle of the finger, called the PIP joint or proximal interphalangeal joint. Swelling and eventually deformity can develop.

Your physician will do X-rays to confirm this diagnosis and recom-mend various treatment options which are effective, but entirely different than the treatment for carpal tunnel. It is impor-tant to see an orthopaedic hand specialist who can help you decipher which problem you are suffering from. These two condi-tions can coexist in many patients and will need to be treated accordingly.

To schedule an appointment with an OrthoIndy hand specialist, please call (317) 802-2000 or request an appoint- ment at OrthoIndy. com/request.

By: Andrew Vicar, MD

12 | Summer 2014

International Involvement

At OrthoIndy, many of our physicians and staff have participated with medical missions around the world. This allows us to bring our technology and expertise to the world, while focusing on providing basic human needs. Some opportunities come from areas of the world that have been inadequately provided for and some opportunities follow natural disasters.

Haiti is a country which represents both. Despite its location in the beautiful Caribbean, Haiti has a history of chronic poverty and disease. After the earthquake in January 2010 amplified the level of human disaster in the country, much attention was focused on Haiti and its people’s needs.

As a result of the disaster, Cholera was introduced into the country. Cholera is transmitted primarily by drink-ing water or eating food that has been contaminated by the waste of an infected person. The symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting which results in a person becoming very dehydrated.

Because of this, Cholera has sickened over half million people and has led to the deaths of over 7,000 people in Haiti. In the third world, lack of a safe water source is responsible for an estimated 80 percent of deaths. Water borne diseases are very difficult to treat but can be prevented.

The best medicine that can be provided in many parts of the world is simply a safe glass of water. I became involved with a “safe water” initiative through an

organization called Fountains of Hope* and had the opportunity to visit Haiti twice last year to participate with the installation of water purification systems in areas of need.

While there, I was able to do limited surgery, but the basic lack of resources and equipment available limit what can be performed. A number of OrthoIndy physi-cians and staff contributed monetarily to the effort to help establish a safe water system to a mission which operates for orphanages and feeds over 3,500 children per day.

The food that was prepared at the mission was the very same type of food that employees of OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital (IOH) packed this past fall during the Kids Against Hunger of Central Indiana Million Meal Marathon at Lucas Oil Stadium*. This connection has led me to organize an initiative to identify another suitable location in Haiti to establish a safe water system where there is another feeding mission.

By: Timothy Dicke

My Time in HaitiA note from OrthoIndy President Dr. Timothy Dicke

This summer, I will return to Haiti accompanied by Larry Whinnery, IOH chaplain, to identify worthy locations. At OrthoIndy, there is a long history of charitable activities and I continue to encourage all of us to get involved with projects which benefit others. In the end, we generally get as much benefit as those we serve.

*Fountains of Hope (FoH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi-zation. FoH is committed to the installation, integration and teaching of safe water solutions for the poorest and most marginalized via water purification, well drilling, health and hygiene education and disaster relief. To learn more visit FountainsOfHope.org.

*Kids Against Hunger of Central Indiana is an humani-tarian food aid organization providing highly nutritious, life-saving meals to feed the hungry at home and the starving abroad while teaching children and communi-ties the power of volunteerism. Kids Against Hunger of Central Indiana is the largest satellite in the Kids Against Hunger national network, having fed 23 million hungry families in the greater Indianapolis area and the world since 2007. Twenty-five percent of the meals remain local to feed hungry Hoosiers and the remaining 75 percent are distributed by partners to those facing malnutrition and starvation due to war, famine, poverty or natural disaster. To learn more visit KidsAgainstHunger.net.

Timothy Dicke, MDSpecialties: Hand/Wrist/Elbow •FractureCare •TendonandNerveInjuries •WorkRelatedInjuries •Arthritis •Arthroscopy •SportsMedicine •MicrovascularReconstruction Orthopaedic Fracture Care

Located at: OrthoIndy Northwest OrthoIndy Fishers

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dicke, please call (317) 802-2808 or visitOrthoIndy.com/request.

14 | Summer 2014

Patient Journey By: Clay Gillespie

The Man with a MissionAfter knee surgery, patient competes in the

One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

It could happen to anyone. Sharp movements, quick turns or a wrong step could end in a serious knee injury. It may not occur in the most exciting of ways, but it can open a door to serious problems.

Knees are the support system for the entire body. They carry the weight of every muscle and bone above the calf and are critical to human function. Larry Wildman, a patient of Dr. Mihir Patel at OrthoIndy, has knees that carry 36 years of service, both military and civilian, with the United States Air Force and the United States Defense Depart-ment.

Larry has been an avid competitor in walking events since 2002, but re-cently feared that he may never be able to compete again. “I was sitting at my computer and turned my foot just a little to ease some fatigue in my leg,” he said. “Then the area under my knee became incredibly painful.”

Larry didn’t think the simple turn was too excessive. He was surprised at how quickly the pain developed, so he took matters into his own hands. “I pushed on my knee and something seemed to snap back into place. Other than being a little tender, I could walk no problem.”

When knee injuries occur, the first response should not be to fix it on your own. If knees begin to act up, it’s a major red flag. Knee pain left unchecked runs the risk of getting worse over time.

To catch issues like this prior to them happening, it’s important to ergonomically improve your working environment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statis-tics, almost 400,000 musculoskeletal disorder cases

accounted for 33 percent of all worker injury and illness cases in 2011. Em-ployers are responsible for providing safe and healthy workplaces for their work-ers, but that mentality also must be taken home for your personal life.

Larry had a knee injury called a meniscal tear. Symptoms of meniscal

tears are pain, stiffness, swelling, locking of knees, knees “giving out” and inability of full-range move-ment.

Larry was able to ignore the pain for a while. Every now and then he’d have an ache in his knee, but he would put pressure on it to ease the pain. When that stopped working, he knew he had a problem on his hands.

“I was able to get around the next day without pain

medication. I needed a few rehab sessions, but resumed my normal exercise activities

three times a week.”

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“It happened again and got worse. It was longer last-ing each time and pushing on it didn’t help,” Larry said. “I called for an appointment with my wife’s OrthoIndy physician, Dr. Mihir Patel.”

After hearing from Larry, Dr. Patel suspected a meniscus tear and quickly scheduled an MRI. The MRI confirmed Dr. Patel’s diagnosis and together they scheduled a surgery date for the first Saturday in December.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, meniscal tears are one of the most common knee injuries. Anyone at any age can tear their menis-cus, but athletes that play contact sports put them-selves at higher risk. With age, meniscal tears are most likely to be degenerative rather than sudden, active tears. Larry was determined to overcome his meniscal tear, because he had another goal on his mind.

Larry and his wife, Judy, saw Dr. Patel just before going into surgery. Larry was used to competing in the One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, and he wasn’t planning on this keeping him down.

“Before I was administered anesthetic, I raised my head and said, ‘Don’t forget Dr. Patel, I’m doing the Mini,’” Larry said. “I look forward to it each year. I had been worried that I might be sitting this one out.”

The surgery was performed, and Larry went home to recover. “I was able to get around the next day without pain medication. I needed a few rehab sessions, but resumed my normal exercise activities three times a week,” Larry explained.

The true victory in all of this was that Larry had the chance to compete again. On St. Patrick’s Day, he took part in the Shamrock Four-Mile Walk without any problems. However, the One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon was going to be the true test of his recovery.

On the day of the One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon proved to be no match for the man with a mission. He had no problems and achieved a Finisher’s medal, which he says is hanging with the others now.

“I’m grateful to Dr. Patel and his skilled work, and to Pearl who got me scheduled. I want to give my thanks to those at OrthoIndy and IOH who made my experi-ence pleasant and allowed me to do the One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon once again.”

Despite the meniscal tear, Larry returned to what he loved. He still competes to this day, and stays in contact with his physicians on a regular basis. He sends them photographs of his accomplish-ments as a thank-you for giving him the chance to compete again.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel, please call (317) 569-2513 or request an appointment online at OrthoIndy.com/ request.

16 | Summer 2014

OrthoIndy and the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital’s New PAT Clinic and Hospitalist Program

Dr. Kevin HelmsDr. Helms received his Bachelor of Science in biology from Indiana University in 1993. In 1997, he earned his MD from Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr. Helms completed his internal medicine

residency at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana and subsequently served as the hospitalist medical director at Methodist from 2004 to 2007. He then moved to IU North where he continued to work as a hospitalist with a particular focus in peri-operative care. In 2012, Dr. Helms joined Ad-vanced Healthcare Associates and created a novel transitional care program. He has served as medical

director of the IU North Transitional Care Program, American Senior Communities Allisonville Meadows, The Stratford at the Village of West Clay, Kindred Bridgewater and Kindred Eagle Creek.

Dr. Helms is a member of the American Medical Association, Society of Hospital Medicine, American Medical Directors Association and the Indiana State Medical Society.

Dr. Michael ReederDr. Reeder received his Bachelor of Arts in Eng-lish and economics from Indiana University in 1984. He attended In-diana University School of Law in 1986 and then completed a Master

In February, OrthoIndy and IOH established an in-house hospitalist program and Pre-Assessment Testing (PAT) clinic. The hospitalist physicians are Drs. Kevin Helms, Michael Reeder and Michele Spolyar.

The hospitalist service provides 24/7 post-operative coverage for patients hospitalized at IOH and also offers a complete pre-operative screening program for those patients referred to the PAT clinic. The clinic is located on the first floor of IOH and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The hospitalist program is patient-centered, service-oriented and user-friendly. It is designed to comprehensively address the peri-operative needs of all OrthoIndy patients and is guided by the principles of evidence-based medicine. The goal of the hospitalist service is to provide patients with the best medical care, with a special emphasis on patient safety and satisfaction.

Physician Update By: Kasey Prickel

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Jill is one BUSY mom!

Her to-do list is NEVER

ending.

She doesn’t have TIME

for...

But when injuries happen,

the UNEXPECTED!

grocerieslaundry

soccer practicedinner

she KNOWS where to go.

OrthoIndyWalk-InClinic.

INJURIES HAPPEN.Know where to go for bone, joint,

spine and muscle injuries.For more information, please visitOrthoIndy.com/WalkIn.

of Arts in clinical psychology from Miami Univer-sity in Oxford, Ohio.

In 1995, Dr. Reeder received his MD from Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Methodist Hospital where he was later hired as one of the first hospitalists with Respiratory and Critical Care Consultants. From 2005 until joining OrthoIndy, he was medical director of the Adult Inpatient Program and co-director of the Pre-Assessment Testing Clinic at IU North.

Dr. Reeder is a member of the American College of Physicians Associate Executive Committee and an associate member of the American College of Physicians.

Dr. Michele SpolyarDr. Spolyar received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1993 from Ball State University. In 1997, she obtained her MD from Indiana School of Medi-cine. Dr. Spolyar com-pleted her internship in internal medicine in

1998 from Legacy Portland Hospitals, Portland, Oregon and her residency in internal medicine in 2000 from Scipps/Mercy Medical Center in San Diego, California.

Prior to joining OrthoIndy, Dr. Spolyar had an outpatient medical practice at the Sharp Mission Park Medical Group in California, worked as a hospitalist at Internal Medicine Associates in Bloomington, Indiana and, most recently, was co-director of the Pre-Assessment Testing Clinic at IU North.

Dr. Spolyar is a member of the American College of Physicians.

18 | Summer 2014

Marty discusses his decision to get an amputation and how that choice has affected his life.

| 19

Officer Not Down Police officer chooses amputation after being shot on duty By: Clay Gillespie

An officer takes cover behind a car; his arms tense as his finger gently rests on the trigger of a gun. The heart beats quickly as the mind focuses on the mis-sion: minimize the threat, keep the public safe. The adrenaline pumps through his veins. His ears pick up a voice on the radio, “Armed suspect. Officer down.”

Being a police officer is no easy task. Every time you go on patrol, you put yourself in the heart of danger. The community around you depends on your body as well as your badge; every limb being a necessity.

What happens when a police officer sacrifices his or her body for those they’ve sworn to protect?

On July 26, 2012, Marty Dulworth was on duty with the Anderson Police Department. Around 11 p.m. that night, he received a chilling call. Officers were dispatched to assist the police force in the next town over. Shots had been fired and an officer was down.

Along with several other Anderson officers, Marty sped to the scene to provide backup. He was accompanied by his partner of two years; a Belgian Malinoise police dog named Kilo.

The suspect of the incident had been arguing with his wife after being sent an order of protection. In the middle of the street, the conversation began to escalate. A neighbor pulled up in his car to see if there was a problem. Af-ter a few seconds, he noticed that the suspect was armed with 200 rounds of ammunition, a fully automatic weapon, a bulletproof vest and a gas mask. Tem-pers rose. The neighbor and the suspect got into a heated argument, ending with the armed suspect opening fire.

The neighbor was shot in his car and did not survive.

“Within two minutes of getting out of my vehicle, Kilo and I started taking gunfire,” Marty said.

Marty and Kilo took off on foot down an alley in search of the suspect, but were ambushed with gunfire from 12 to 15 feet away. “Everything slowed down,” Marty said. “I could hear him pull the trigger. I could taste the gunpowder that filled the air. I could see the bullet leave the barrel. It was absolutely surreal.”

The first round fired hit Marty’s left ankle, piercing an artery causing major blood loss. The second round hit his right calf. Tragically, Kilo was hit once in the chest. He continued to fight and protect his fallen partner, but did not survive. The gunman then took his own life.

Marty’s police officer brother, Joe Garret, overheard him on the radio by mere coincidence. Joe was off- duty, but happened to be four miles away when he heard Marty had been shot. He raced in his truck to find Marty, quickly applied a tourniquet and transported him to a nearby ambulance. Marty was then taken to St.Vincent Hospital in Anderson, placed in a helicopter and flown to St.Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. When he arrived, OrthoIndy trauma surgeon, Dr. David Kaehr, was on call.

“I spent 15 days in the hospital and underwent six sur-geries,” Marty said. “Dr. Kaehr cleaned my foot over and over. He rebuilt my foot with all the metal it needed.

After seven months of recovery and rehab, Marty returned to work full-duty. As he moved forward in law enforcement, he was faced with a different challenge. The constant pain and lack of mobility began to affect his life, not only on the job, but also at home, prompt-ing him to return to Dr. Kaehr.

“I went to a dark, dark place. I was asking questions like ‘who’s going to take care of my family?’ I didn’t want to get out of bed most days because I had a horrible limp and the pain was constant. So I returned to Dr. Kaehr and I told him I was done. I couldn’t deal with the pain anymore.”

Dr. Kaehr had been working with Marty since the beginning of the incident. “The discussion had always been there about amputation. It got relatively serious as he became more ac-tive and returned to full-duty,”

said Dr. Kaehr. “He was highly motivated, but the pain was becoming a problem.”

After researching procedures and talking with his wife and kids for hours, Marty and Dr. Kaehr decided ampu-tation on his left leg was his best option.

On September 3, 2013, Marty arrived at the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital (IOH) early in the morning. By 9:45 a.m., the lower part of his left leg was successfully amputated. He remained at IOH for a few days and was fitted with a prosthetic that he had picked out prior to surgery.

After Marty was given his prosthetic, he underwent six days of therapy before he was released to return to the force. He returned full-duty with no restrictions in December of 2013, and is still serving as a police officer today.

Marty sacrificed his body for those he swore to protect. He made it his mission to recover and return. Marty went so far as to sacrifice his own leg to continue his life’s calling as a police officer. He did it for the community he serves, his family and himself.

My life is pain free now. I can do everything I could

before the shooting. Dr. Kaehr is a good man. I made a friend for life.

“I’m working on training a new K-9 partner named Rico. My life is pain free now. I can do everything I could before the shoot-ing. Dr. Kaehr is a good man. I made a friend for life. He took such good care of me and was so kind to my family. He kept them informed with every surgery.”

Marty also passes sentiment to Dr. Ronald Miller, OrthoIndy physiatrist, saying that he is another good man. “He helped me get through some of the worst pain I have ever experienced. When it was time to come off all of the meds, he knew how to do it and made the process so easy.”

“My advice to young people undergoing a decision like this is if you’re considering amputation, talk to somebody who has gone through it. Find an amputation support group,” Dr. Kaehr said.

Marty gives the same advice to everyone he’s spoken to about this, “I made contact with active people who were amputees. I didn’t want to talk to people that had given up afterwards; I wanted to talk to athletes and fighters. So I did.”

Marty says he wouldn’t change a thing about that night, “I feel like I’m tactically sound, so I’d redo that night over and over the same way. I’m physically stronger now than I have ever been in my whole life,” he said, “Life is great.”

“My scar means…Survival.”

Marty Dulworth extends the offer to anyone who is considering this

procedure to speak with him in person. If you would like to contact him,

please call (317) 802-2425.

David Kaehr, MDSpecialties: Trauma, Total Joint Replacement (Knee and Hip)and General Orthopaedics

Located at: OrthoIndy at St.Vincent Indianapolis, OrthoIndy at St.Vincent Carmel and OrthoIndy Fishers

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kaehr, please call (317) 917-4367 or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

Scan this QR code to watch Marty’s full story or visit YouTube.com/OrthoIndyIOH.

22 | Summer 2014

Patient Journey By: Clay Gillespie

Knees are one of the most important pieces of our body. They not only help our legs function, but they also hold the weight of our entire build. They are so critical to our natural function, so when they go bad, it’s serious. When you’re one of the top knee surgeons in the na-tion, it’s imaginable that you’d have a hard time choos-ing someone you trust to operate on your own knee. For 20 years, OrthoIndy knee surgeon Dr. Jack Farr has been battling a worn-out left knee from a menis-cal tear. The meniscus helps the knee joint distribute weight, glide and absorb shock. “It’d been bothering me for about 20 years, but it was bad for about two years,” Dr. Farr explained. “X-rays showed that it was bone-on-bone on the inside, so the options were for a medial, partial knee replacement or a total knee replacement.”

Dr. Farr’s injury is activity-related. “At rest I had no pain, so it’d been difficult to decide on the timing to have this done,” he said. “When you’re sitting around thinking about it, you don’t have any pain.”

He ended up choosing to go through a medial uni-compartmental knee arthroplasty, a partial knee replacement that only replaces the arthritic area. It leaves the other two parts of the knee (lateral and patellofemoral) intact along with the other ligaments. But Dr. Farr couldn’t do this surgery on himself. While he’s an expert in the field, he had to find a surgeon he trusted to perform the procedure. In order to over-come his injury, Dr. Farr would have to take the role of a patient rather than the surgeon.

“I definitely like the surgeon side better than the patient side,” he said. “But from all aspects of it, every-body was very kind. I think it helps me understand the process. As far as pain and rehab, it really does help me understand what the patient’s going through.”

When it was time for Dr. Farr to pick a surgeon, he went to a fellow knee surgeon at OrthoIndy, Dr. David Fisher.

OrthoIndy Surgeon Becomes the PatientDr. Jack Farr undergoes surgery on his left knee performed at IOH

“Dr. Fisher and I were residents together. He was a very quick learner, had an excellent command of anatomy and superb hands, as we say,” Dr. Farr said.

The key factor for Dr. Farr was being able to choose someone who could make the right decision in the moment. “He could decide intraoperatively, if I would be best served with a partial or full knee replacement,” Dr. Farr explained. “As a partial knee replacement sur-geon, I have implanted many in the past several years and have been happy with the outcomes my patients have enjoyed, so I wanted to give myself that option.” When Dr. Farr asked Dr. Fisher to perform the surgery, Dr. Fisher was pleased with the decision. “I was hon-ored that he wanted me to do his knee surgery,” Dr. Fisher said.

Dr. Fisher’s reputation does precede him, so it helped Dr. Farr to decide Dr. Fisher. He does over 300 full knee replacements and around 100 unicompartmental knee replacements a year. “This procedure can be performed in some patients with arthritis of the knee,” Dr. Fisher said. “It involves less soft tissue and bone damage than a total knee and can provide a quicker recovery, better function, and lower risk of complications than a total knee replacement.” Dr. Farr had no problem finding a surgeon to perform his operation. “I trust the expertise and skills of all OrthoIndy joint replacement surgeons. They all do a great job, as documented by the excellent ratings of the IOH total joint program,” he said. “I would have felt comfortable in any of our surgeons’ care. However, I had to choose one, and selected Dr. Fisher in light of our history and our common approach to the option of partial knee replacement.”

Now, Dr. Farr is back on his feet. He’s two months out from surgery and has absolutely no pain. “I am glad that his surgery went well and he is regaining his knee function,” Dr. Fisher said. Dr. Fisher’s operation on Dr. Farr is available for view on OrthoIndy’s YouTube channel. If you would like to watch this doctor-on-doctor procedure, please visitYouTube.com/OrthoIndyIOH or scan the QR code below.

David Fisher, MDSpecialties: Arthroscopic Surgery, Hip and Knee, Total Joint Replace-ment (Hip and Knee) and Revision Total Hip and Knee Replacement

Located at: OrthoIndy Northwest

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Fisher, please call (317) 802-2828 or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

24 | Summer 2014

Life After Cancer Three time cancer survivor counts on OrthoIndy

Always looking for a new and fun way to get active, Michelle Hoffman decided to give rollerblading a shot. However, after several days of the activity, she started to notice giant bruises forming on her legs where the rollerblades had moved from side to side. Michelle figured rollerblading just wasn’t meant for her and decided she would have to give it up because of the pain it caused her.

Nonetheless, several months after giving up rollerblading, when the bruise coloring had went away Michelle’s legs remained very sore and tender to touch. Nervous about what it could be, but desperate for an answer and to be pain-free again, Michelle went to her family physician and had an X-ray taken. Unfortunately, the X-ray provided no insight and she was sent home to continue to deal with the pain in her leg.

About a year and a half later, Michelle noticed a large lump on her leg that throbbed with pain. Michelle knew something wasn’t right. After getting an MRI done, Michelle’s orthopaedic physician in Fort Wayne, Indiana was shocked at what he saw and immediately made an appointment for Michelle to visit OrthoIndy.

“Three days later I met Dr. Bruce Rougraff, an OrthoIndy surgeon,” said Michelle. “Although the news was fright-ening, I was happy with how well he explained every-thing to me and my husband. A biopsy had shown us it was cancer and I was scheduled for surgery three days later.”

The plan was to remove the tumor and part of Michelle’s bone and insert a rod in its place. The sur-gery went according to plan and the tumor was sent away for testing. It took several months for the results to come back, but when they did Michelle found out the tumor came back positive for Ewing sarcoma.

Ewing sarcoma is a rare disease in which cancer cells are found in the bone or in soft tissue. Most frequently, Ewing sarcoma occurs in teenagers and young adults. Because of this, Dr. Rougraff referred Michelle to a local children’s hospital where she under-went chemotherapy.

“My children, Connor and Rachel, were 10 and 7 years old at the time,” said Michelle. “I completed my 16 chemotherapy treatments in 52 weeks. This was really hard for my children and my husband. Thank good-ness we have a wonderful family and the support of friends and our church. So many wonderful people came together to make us meals, drive us to Indianapolis and help us with childcare.”

Thankful for all the help and the determination to go on living, Michelle beat cancer. For five years, Michelle was able to enjoy life with a little less worry and stress. However, right before her five year check-up, Michelle was terrified when she noticed pain in her leg and what felt like water running back and forth when she moved it around.

“When I found a small lump I called Dr. Rougraff’s office,” said Michelle. “After getting an MRI, it was confirmed that my cancer was back. Dr. Rougraff recommended surgery to remove the cancer, which

By: Megan Skelly

MyScarMeans

Was I scared? Yes, but I felt safe and secure thanks to

the great care I have continuously received from Dr. Rougraff and

his staff at the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital.

| 25

was the size of a pea. Again the tumor was sent out and the biopsy confirmed the Ewing sarcoma was back.”

After another year of chemo and radiation, Michelle beat cancer for the second time in her life. Neverthe-less, three years later, Michelle noticed a lump for the third time. Disheartened and fearful, she called Dr. Rougraff and went in for another MRI. Once again, a tumor was confirmed but this time Michelle’s options were limited.

“I always knew from the beginning that removing my leg might be necessary, but suddenly I felt so incred-ibly overwhelmed with the thought of losing my leg,” said Michelle. “This was my third time fighting this beast of a cancer and something in my heart told me drastic measures were necessary.”

Michelle met with numerous radiation physicians and specialists, but time and time again she was told she was not a candidate for that treatment. Terrified of losing her leg, but even more terrified of the cancer, Michelle decided to have her leg removed by Dr. Rougraff.

“Was I scared? Yes,” said Michelle. “But I felt safe and secure thanks to the great care I have continuously received from Dr. Rougraff and his staff at the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital (IOH). Just like during my previ-ous surgery, everyone went out of their way to make my several day stay at IOH as pleasant as possible. Surgery went well and I had minimal pain.”

Michelle recovered very quickly, considering she was on chemo treatment at the same time. Two months later she was fitted for her first prosthetic leg. Three months after that, she finished her chemo treatments and also received her prosthetic leg perfectly fit for her.

“My life has been quite an adjustment, but I wouldn’t change anything,” said Michelle. “I am so blessed to still be here with my family. I am grateful everyday that I had the option to remove my leg and save my life. I have had my falls but I get right back up again. Through this 10 year journey my kids have seen me at my best and worst. I have had my good days and bad but am blessed for any day that is given to me.”

Today, Michelle’s children are 20 and 17 years old and Michelle hopes they have learned to never give up. “I hope my family knows how hard I have fought and that all I have gone through is because I love them and my life,” said Michelle. “My husband has been my rock and soft place to land. I am so amazed at his strength and understanding through my best and worst times. I am thankful I can spend the rest of my life with him. I would do it all over again to continue to be with my family.”

Michelle is able to get back to enjoy-ing life again. She has gone on vaca-tion and believes that one day she will be able to run again. Currently, she likes riding her exercise bike, playing ball with her dog, spending time with her family and friends and focusing on getting stronger.

“I cannot express how grateful I am to Dr. Rougraff,” said Michelle. “The deci-sions he made throughout the past 10 years have been instrumental in my recovery, helping me beat cancer three times. I am a three-time survi-vor! I am so blessed and thank God daily for bringing Dr. Rougraff into my life.”

Nothing stops Michelle from doing what she wants. Currently, she is cancer free and continues to see

her oncologist and Dr. Rougraff every six to seven months.

“I feel absolutely fantastic and even when I don’t feel great I just shrug it off because I realize just how blessed I am to be here,” said Michelle. “Life is short and I choose not to dwell on things I can’t do, but focus on all I can do.”

“My scar means…I can continue being a wife and mother.”

Bruce Rougraff, MDSpecialties: Pediatrics Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of: •SoftTissueSarcomas •SoftTissueBenignTumors •BenignBoneTumors •MalignantBoneTumors •Percutaneous(Surgery Without Incision) Management of Bone Cysts •OsteoidOsteomas

•MetastaticTumorsofBone •PercutaneousBiopsy •TechniqueforAllTumors •LimbSparingResections of Malignant Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Located at: OrthoIndy Northwest OrthoIndy South

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Rougraff, please call (317) 802-2824 or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

Sports Injury? We’ll fix it.Official Orthopaedic

Provider of the Indianapolis Indians

OrthoIndy.com

Thank you for choosing OrthoIndy for your orthopaedic needs.

If you are a patient, we hope you have enjoyed your recent visit and are feeling pain-free again.

At OrthoIndy and IOH, we strive to ensure each individual receives the highest quality bone, joint, spine and muscle care and superior customer service in a safe and home-like environment. As health facilities and surgeons are graded on the Web every day, we would appreciate your review about your overall experience. If you cannot provide OrthoIndy or IOH with anything other than a 5-star rating, please let us know by emailing us at

support@orthoindy.com so we can better help you and future patients. Rate us online at: • HealthGrades.com • RateMDs.com • Vitals.com • AngiesList.com • Facebook.com/OrthoIndyIOH

Thank you for entrusting us with your health. Best wishes for a safe and healthy recovery.

Rate Your OrthoIndy Physician

Ratings By: Kasey Prickel

About one out of every 100 persons in the general population has some type of scoliosis. Although most of these cases are mild, scoliosis can develop to the point where those diagnosed may need to seek treat-ment. In basic terms, scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine, instead of the spine being a straight line down the middle of the back. Scoliosis curves can become so severe as to resemble the letter “C” or “S.”

Scoliosis usually develops in childhood and is most commonly found in young girls. However, males and adults can be diagnosed with scoliosis as well. Scoliosis also tends to run in families. Particularly, daughters of women who have scoliosis are at an increased risk for having scoliosis.

Rebecca Muth was diagnosed with scoliosis around the age of 12. However, the orthopaedic specialist she saw at that time believed it was only minor and would not progress to the point of needing treatment. Be-cause of this diagnosis, Rebecca did not schedule any follow-up visits and thought little about the scoliosis.

As Rebecca grew older, her back became increasingly painful and a bulge in her ribs started to become ap-parent. By the time she finished high school she could

barely stand, sit or walk for a long amount of time.

“At the end of each day I felt exhausted from the pain,” said Rebecca. “Following what the doctor said, I thought the pain was normal and couldn’t be helped. So I continued to live with it.”

During her college classes she would have to constantly shift herself around in her seat to get comfortable enough to sit through a single class period. At the time, Rebecca was studying audio engineering so she had to do a lot of hands-on work with audio equipment, much of which was heavy.

“I was always at a disadvantage compared to my class-mates since the pain and instability of my back made it extremely difficult to lift or carry anything heavy,” said Rebecca. “I usually had to stand back and watch as my classmates did the work for me.”

Rebecca also played bass guitar in a band for awhile, but practices became unbearable with the weight of the instrument pulling her down. It got to the point where Rebecca started avoiding all activities that would jostle her spine, such as horseback riding, which was one of her favorite pastimes.

Living with Scoliosis Spinal fusion helps patient experience a life without pain By: Megan Skelly

“The worst part was that I had a young child who was about to turn one. I couldn’t hold her for any length of time or even bend over to change her diaper or dress her because of the pain.”

Just before Rebecca turned 21 she decided she couldn’t take the pain anymore and went to OrthoIndy for a second opinion. She was immediately recom-mended for a spinal fusion surgery.

During a spinal fusion, which usually lasts four to 12 hours, the curved vertebrae are fused together so that they heal into a single solid bone. This will stop growth completely in the abnormal segment of the spine and prevent the curve from getting worse.

All spinal fusions use some type of bone material, called a bone graft, to help promote the fusion. Gener-ally, small pieces of bone are placed into the spaces between the vertebrae to be fused. The bones grow together, similar to when a broken bone heals. Metal rods are typically used to hold the spine in place until this fusion happens.

“OrthoIndy took my complaints of pain and discomfort very seriously and even apologized for the bad medical advice I had received as a child,” said Rebecca. “I was scheduled for surgery the following month. All of the doctors and nurses I encountered before and after my surgery were kind, compassionate and helpful. It was

so reassuring to know that if I had any concerns or questions, at any hour of the day, I could reach someone by phone.”

OrthoIndy and Rebecca worked with Indiana University to create classroom accommodations for Rebecca so she didn’t have to miss any of her classes after surgery. The first few days after a spinal fusion are the most uncomfortable, but most people improve rapidly by the third or fourth day. They can walk around and get in and out of bed well enough to go home. The pain continues to improve gradually and by three to six weeks after surgery pain medicine is no longer necessary at all.

“My recovery went very smoothly and now, two years later, I feel wonderful,” said Rebecca. “I can barely remember what it was like living in pain.”

Rebecca is now able to run, play and have fun with her daughter without any pain. She graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree and is now doing audio work professionally, including all the heavy lifting by herself! She is also able to do many other things she enjoys that the back pain previously stopped her from doing. She owns several horses that she is able to ride and she is even into rid-ing motorcycles now.

“My scar means…I can live without pain.”

David Schwartz, MDFishers

Gregory Poulter, MDNorthwest, South and OrthoIndy at St.Vincent Indianapolis

Michael Coscia, MDNorthwest and South

Gabriel Jackson, MDSouth, West and OrthoIndy at St.Vincent Clay

John Dietz Jr., MDNorthwest and OrthoIndy at St.Vincent Carmel

Zachary Dodd, MDNorthwest and South

Robert Huler, MDNorthwest, West and OrthoIndy at St.Vincent Carmel

To schedule an appointment with one of our spine surgeons, please call (317) 802-2000 or visit OrthoIndy.com/request

to request an appointment online.

OrthoIndy Spine Physicians

30 | Summer 2014

Nutrition By: Abby Snyder

With summer comes the opportunity to enjoy baseball games, swimming at the pool and weekend cookouts with family and friends. We can relax, kick back, enjoy some good company and indulge in tasty eats. How-ever, does enjoying these cookouts mean we have to sacrifice our healthy goals? No, it does not!

Hot dogs, hamburgers, creamy potato salad, chips and ice cream may typically take center stage at traditional barbeques. This year, add some new, healthy items to your menu, be good to your heart, friendly to your waistline and still grill out at the same time.

Try grilling fruits and vegetables for added color, flavor and nutrition to your outdoor meals. Nearly all types of produce are suitable for grilling and can be a great addition to burgers, salads and desserts. Grilled fruits and vegetables are a great way to meet recommended daily goals of two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables.

For those new to fruit and vegetable grilling, follow these 5 simple tips to switch things up at your next barbeque:

1. Always brush the outside surfaces of fruits and vegetables with canola oil or olive oil to prevent sticking to the grill. You also can package fruits and vegetables in foil pouches and place directly on the grill for steaming inside the bag.

2. Don’t peel fruits or vegetables before grilling. Keep the skins on to retain moisture and nutrients that could otherwise be lost during cooking.

3. Use firm fruits and vegetables. Choose produce that is just barely ripe. Softening will naturally occur during the grilling and cooking process.

4. Grill fruits and vegetables over moderate heat or on the outer surfaces of the grill where the tem- perature will be slightly lower. This prevents over- cooking and drying. Also, turn produce frequently when grilling to ensure the fruits or vegetables will be evenly cooked all the way through.

5. For added flavor, sprinkle vegetables with herbs and spices after brushing with oil and before placing on the grill. Fruit can be drizzled with lemon or honey.

Have Your Cookout and Enjoy it TooFruit and vegetable grilling tips for your next barbeque

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Community Involvement

OrthoIndy will be visiting high schools around the Indianapolis area this fall for Friday night football games. T-shirts will be given out to the first 100 guests that visit the OrthoIndy table. Visitors will also be given the chance to enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Stop by and see us! All games start at 7 p.m.

Schedule:August 22nd at Hamilton Heights High SchoolAugust 22nd at Pike High SchoolSeptember 5th at Brebeuf High SchoolSeptember 12th at Indian Creek High SchoolSeptember 15th at Greenfield High SchoolSeptember 19th at Sheridan High SchoolSeptember 19th at Western Boone High SchoolOctober 3rd at Zionsville High SchoolOctober 10th at Roncalli High School

OrthoIndy Nights at Indianapolis Area High Schools

32 | Summer 2014

Overcoming Obstacles Deaf patient finds comfort in visiting OrthoIndyBy: Megan Skelly

You feel a gentle tap on your shoulder and you follow the nurse back to the exam room. Although everyone is busily moving around, everything is quiet. You sit in silence and eagerly await to hear your diagnosis. Your physician comes in and you watch his mouth form words that explain what is wrong with you. But you can’t hear what he is saying. Quickly, your eyes shift to the lady standing beside him as she signs what your physician has just said.

Questions flood into your mind: What is the next step? How long will the recovery process take? When will you be pain-free again? You take a moment to gather yourself and slowly sign your first question. Again, you watch your physician respond and wait for your inter-preter to sign you his responses. It’s a long process and it requires a lot of patience.

This is a typical appointment for Monica Byrum. For as long as Monica can remember she has never been able to hear anything. She has always had to wait a moment to be told what everyone else hears im-mediately. At just 10 months old, she was diagnosed with spinal meningitis, which caused her to become deaf. Spinal meningitis is an infection of the fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Once infection starts, it can spread rapidly through the body.

However, Monica never let her lack of hearing frustrate her or get in the way of what she wanted to do in life. She was always determined to put herself out there and participate in activities other children were doing. Even as a child Monica participated in sports and vari-ous group activities.

Yet, at 12 years old, Monica hit another obstacle. She was diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, a childhood hip disorder initiated by disruption of blood flow to the ball of the femur. Due to this lack of blood flow, the bone dies and stops growing.

Over time, healing normally occurs. However, the main long-term problem with this condition is that it can produce permanent deformity of the femoral head, such as in Monica’s case. Because of this, Monica developed osteoarthritis very early and challenged her ability to stay competitive in sports.

| 33

In fact, Monica’s favorite hobby, cheerleading, became very painful. “I was a cheerleader in middle school, high school and college,” said Monica. “It was very painful with my disease, but I loved it. I told myself to never give up. I was always at the top of my stunts, smiling and jumping around to prove to everyone that I would never let my disease hold me back.”

Despite Monica’s determination, by the time she turned 23 years old, her hips barely allowed her to walk. Her family physician referred her to OrthoIndy and that’s when Monica met OrthoIndy hip surgeon, Dr. Eric Monesmith.

Dr. Monesmith determined Monica needed both of her hips replaced. “The biggest risk when someone has a hip replacement at a very young age is that it will wear out during the patient’s lifetime,” said Dr. Monesmith. “However, revision surgery is possible and technology keeps improving. Modern hip replace-ment bearings have increased longevity.”

According to Dr. Monesmith, the average patient age for a hip replacement is around 60 years old. However, anyone under 50 is considered very young for a hip replacement. Anyone in between 20 and 40 years old likely has a congenital, inflammatory or post-traumatic condition that has lead to arthritis, like Monica’s Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.

“If someone is in severe pain, with a significantly di-minished quality of life from hip arthritis, even at such a young age, hip replacement can dramatically reduce pain and improve function,” said Dr. Monesmith. “This can restore quality of life, allow for more productive work and increased enjoyment of activities that were not possible or very painful before.”

In 1996, Monica decided that she wanted to be pain-free again and opted to have both her hips replaced by Dr. Monesmith.

“The best thing about my experience at OrthoIndy was the communication,” said Monica. “I am a deaf patient, but the staff never let that get in the way. My interpreter left for the day and the staff communicated with me on paper and Dr. Monesmith’s assistant, Kim, knew American Sign Language. Communication was never a barrier.”

For 14 years Monica was able to enjoy life, pain-free again. She was active and did not have to worry about her hips holding her back. Nonetheless, in Febru-ary 2010 Monica had to visit Dr. Monesmith. Her left hip had started to bother her, common for patients

who have a total joint replacement at such a young age.

“Monica’s plastic liner in her hip had worn significantly,” said Dr. Monesmith. “This plas-tic wear creates mi-croscopic particulate debris, which the body responds to with an inflammatory cascade. This causes pain, bone

loss and loosening of the components in the hip. In Monica’s case, fortunately, her bone loss was minimal and we were able to exchange the metal socket and put in a new liner.”

Hip revisions range from simple to extremely complex. Fortunately, techniques and technology continue to improve and revision surgery can be very successful. However, revisions typically involve longer surgical times and higher risks of complications compared to primary hip replacements.

February 2014 she visited OrthoIndy again for her right hip revision. “After my first two surgeries I had a very quick recovery,” said Monica. “My fourth surgery has been more challenging. However, I am determined and take my time to be more patient every day. I attend physical therapy and notice that my hip improves daily.”

I am a deaf patient, but the staff never

let that get in the way... Communication was

never a barrier.

34 | Summer 2014

According to Dr. Monesmith, Monica has been the ideal patient. “Monica has been a great patient. She works hard and follows physicians’ advice. When both physician and patient work together, as we have, the outcomes can be excellent, even for very tough cases.”

Now Monica is able to take care of the flowers in her garden and walk again without a limp. Monica is most excited about getting back to her hula-hooping hobby.

“My scar means…pain is over and I won’t give up.”

Practice Focus:Total Joint ReplacementKnee CareArthroscopic Surgery

Located At:OrthoIndy South1260 Innovation Pkwy.Suite 100Greenwood, IN 46143

Eric Monesmith, MD

Contact: To schedule an appointment with Dr. Monesmith, please call (317) 884-5166, visit his website, EricMonesmithMD.com or visit OrthoIndy.com/request.

| 35

Facilities

Conveniently located in Brownsburg, off Dan Jones Road, the OrthoIndy and IOH West facility is a one-stop shop for bone, joint, spine and muscle care. Built in 2008, the 38,000 sq. ft. facility features an OrthoIndy clinic and IOH outpatient surgery department, including X-rays, MRI, two operating rooms, 18 exam rooms, casting and physical therapy. Additionally, the west facility offers a walk-in clinic, no appointment necessary, for imme-diate care for sudden injuries. Hendricks County residents do not have to go anywhere else to get specialized orthopaedic care!

No referral needed! To make an appointment with one of our orthopaedic physicians at our west location, please call (317) 268-3600 or request an appointment online at OrthoIndy.com/request.

CR 300

Hornaday Rd./800 N

.

CR 900

Dan Jones Rd.

CR 200 W. 21st St.

North�eld Dr.

CR 100 W. 10th St.

Rockville Rd.

Ronald Rea gan Pkwy.

OrthoIndy and IOH West LocationEasy Access to Orthopaedics for Hendricks County Residents

Chris Bales, MDShoulder, Knee and Sports Medicine

Michael Kramer, MDKnee, Shoulder and Total Joint

Charles Smith, MDPhysiatry

Michael Shea, MDFoot/Ankle and Sports Medicine

Prasanth Nuthakki, MDPhysiatry

Kevin Sigua, MDPhysiatry

Andrew Vicar, MDHand/Upper Extremity and Sports Medicine

Robert Huler, MDSpine

Gabriel Jackson, MDSpine

Vincent Hume, DOPhysiatry

Bradley Jelen, DOTrauma, Pediatric Orthopaedics and General Orthopaedics

Corey Kendall, MDSports Medicine, Cartilage Restoration, Knee and Shoulder

Walk-In Clinic Hours:Monday through Friday:

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed an hour for lunch.

Call ahead for hours.

No referral needed!Visit OrthoIndy.com/request

to request an appointment onlinefor your bone, joint, spine

or muscle injury.