I have been on a search for a surgeon who could help me with my knee and nerve pain since my BK (Below the Knee) amputation on March 1st 2004. The infection that had been in the leg had destroyed the knee leaving me with only about 15 degrees of motion and a tremendous amount of pain. I was also left with extensive nerve pain which was uncontrollable. During the past year and a half I had seen numerous physicians who all could not figure out a way to alleviate me of my problems nor would they make the decision to amputate. This was until Charlie, my prosthetist, referred me to Dr. Attinger at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington DC. I visited him and he stated that the nerve pain could probably be controlled but the knee issues would most likely remain. Then he did something that no other doctor thought about. He asked me what I was looking for. I told him that the knee issues were my primary concern and that taking care of the nerve pain was only 25% of my goal. He, and his team talked to me about a new process that Dr. A had developed which entails wrapping the muscle from the inner thigh and attaching it to the outside of the leg. This would keep the leg from floating out which is a problem with AK (Above the knee) amputations. He offered this option to me and I accepted. He is putting together information of this process so that other amputee patients can benefit from this technology. During the operation they took pictures of each stage. They were gracious enough to give me a copy of the photos, many of which are here on this page. I can't thank Dr. A and his team enough for their care. Every time I see them, I know that I am their primary concern until they move onto the next patient. I have been getting tired of being looked over. Charlie will again come to my rescue in the near future by setting me up with a top of the line AK prosthetic leg called the Ossur Rheo Knee. I get to be a guinee pig and his first fitting of this leg. If interested, you can go to the Ossur website and get more information of this technology. Thanks to Dr. A and Charlie, I'll be walking and riding in the very near future.
-pegleg |
