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It's been a while since we chatted about alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) plasma treatment for mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. We offer this treatment at ZCO and discuss it in great depth on our
website.
If you know someone who could use this info, please
forward
this newsletter using the link at the bottom.
Best wishes,
Robert J. Zehr, M.D.
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A taste of my own medicine...
Our knees have a disappointingly high tendency to develop mechanical problems with the shock absorbing cushion known as the meniscus. The meniscus is a tough, rubbery structure shaped like the letter "C" and is made of fibrocartilage which can tolerate great stress. There are actually two menisci in each of our knees; an outside (lateral) meniscus and an inside (medical) meniscus and they are positioned between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). However, the meniscus weakens with age, making the menisci prone to degeneration and tearing. People of older ages often end up with a tear as a result of a minor injury, such as from the up-and-down motion of squatting.
I recently tore the medial meniscus in my right knee. We cover meniscal tears in great detail on our website under the Arthroscopic Knee Surgery tab.
So, what does an orthopaedic surgeon do when confronted with the need for the kind of procedures he does himself? Can't very well do arthroscopy on one's own knees! I checked in to Seaside Surgery Center for an outpatient procedure performed by my Seaside partner Dr. Brain Wallace.
I'll confess I took a lot of flak when I shared this photo on Facebook, my knee comfortably resting on my desk not too long after surgery! So this is definitely a case of "Do as I say, not as I do," but I wanted to share my experience with you and give kudos to the staff at Seaside. Here's what I wrote:
"I am a surgeon.....some would quickly add, "a pain in the ass" surgeon! Guilty! But after 30 years doing it, I know what excellent surgery is all about. I just had my torn medial meniscus in my right knee fixed at the Seaside Surgery Center, by a superior surgeon, my partner,
Dr. Brian Wallace.
"My surgeon's skills are a given, as I would have only chosen the BEST surgeon to fix my knee....but what I would like to commend are the skills, empathy and care given to me by the many p
rofessionals...anesthesia, nurses, techs and others.... who dedicate their lives to SEASIDE SURGERY CENTER where this was done! I just cannot extend my gratitude far enough to cover all of the wonderful people who provide so much care to so many people.....but thank you is where I will start!
"As a surgeon, it is always humbling to be on the other side of the knife, but at SEASIDE, I was completely relaxed and I just let the professionals do their thing...which as a control freak is nearly impossible for me to do! The surgery went uneventfully as expected and I left Seaside...like thousands of patients before me....with a smile and a pain-free knee. Listen, I am the first to admit that I am a terrible patient so....because I am that way....I went back to my office and worked. I attended a board meeting at the hospital, interviewed a cleaning crew for my office and coordinated my television marketing program for the upcoming season. Some call me insane....most of my family, for example....but I am
having no pain 8 hours after my simple surgery and expect that it will continue this way until I return to the gym in a couple of days.
"The point of this note is to let the many people out there know that if you are in need of an orthopeadic surgical procedure..... the point of service does in fact make a huge difference in the outcome of your surgery. Look for the BEST! For me, the BEST is found at the SEASIDE SURGERY CENTER.
"Thanks to all of you....I am so truly grateful."
Robert J. Zehr, MD
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In a pickle with knee pain...
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Dr. Marshall Steele, an orthopedic surgeon himself, knows orthopedics and orthopedic surgeons. He was a total joint surgeon for 30 years. After retirement, he wrote two books on orthopedics and developed a very successful orthopedic company that had over 300 hospital clients with thousands of orthopedic surgeons.
Dr. Steele was also an avid pickleball player. In 2016, he and his partner captured gold in the Maryland Senior Olympics. However, an arthritic left knee prevented him from competing in 2017. He knew that surgery was required if he was to resume high level competition.
Dr. Steele is also an orthopedic consultant for MAKO, creators of the MAKO Robotic Arm-Assisted Surgery device. He had interviewed surgeons around the country on their experience with MAKO robotics. He was so impressed that he knew he needed a surgeon with MAKO experience.
In the fall of 2017, he visited with Dr. Zehr, a MAKO expert. His goal was to resume
playing pickleball competitively. In December 2017, Dr. Zehr performed a uni-compartment knee replacement using MAKO technology. Within about six weeks Dr. Steele was playing pickleball socially.
In August of 2018, Dr. Steele, a Maryland resident, returned to competitive pickleball,
playing in the Maryland Senior Olympics. As you can see in this picture, Dr. Steele (on the left) and his partner
reclaimed the Gold Medal and qualified for the 2019 National Championships in Albuquerque!
Our website is full of testimonies like Dr. Steele's - patients who are living pain-free lives. You can
read them here
. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to send us photos and stories for our office "Frame of Fame." We invite you to share your success story too, just hit "Reply!"
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