When you’re an orthopaedic surgeon, one of the greatest compliments you can receive from your patient is to hear they are pain-free. On August 15th, Richard D. Battista, MD, a surgeon at OAA Orthopaedic Specialists’ Hand Center, had a follow-up surgery appointment with his patient, Carol, and heard those exact words.
Carol is an incredibly active woman who enjoys taking care of the home she shares with her husband, doing yard work, swimming, and visiting often with her family and friends. Due to severe pain and loss of some of the mobility in her left hand, she was struggling to enjoy her very active lifestyle. To lessen the pain she was experiencing, she wrapped her hand daily for support, but unfortunately, it wasn’t providing the relief she needed. Not being able to rotate her hand or grasp objects essentially left Carol with one functioning hand.
Although this was certainly a set-back for Carol, she knew there was one person she could call on for support and expert medical advice during this time of struggle – Dr. Battista. Over the past several years, Dr. Battista had completed many successful hand and wrist surgeries on Carol. Because of these positive experiences, Carol didn’t hesitate to schedule an appointment.
“Dr. Battista is the best of the best,” stated Carol. “Every time I come to him with a problem, he says ‘I can fix that for you.’ His confidence always gives me the confidence I need to proceed with surgery.” Carol’s most recent surgery this past April would be no exception to their successful track record.
“Carol came to me with an extreme amount of pain and loss of movement in her left hand,” stated Dr. Battista. “I knew after I had completed a round of x-rays and examined her that she was suffering from arthritis at the base of her thumb. We tried several non-surgical treatment options, and after those proved to be unsuccessful I knew I would be able to successfully treat her condition through surgery.”
Dr. Battista explained to Carol in detail what surgery would entail and what to expect during her recovery. “He was honest, which really helped to prepare me,” stated Carol.
It wasn’t long until she was scheduled for surgery. Thanks to Dr. Battista’s surgical precision, the help of her husband, and physical therapy, Carol had a smooth recovery, regained full use of her left hand, and lives without pain.
“I can do anything and everything that I want to do,” stated Carol. “How about flossing my teeth?” she joked. “Try doing that with one hand!”
Learn more about Dr. Battista and OAA Orthopaedic Specialists’ Hand Center or call 610-973-6200 to schedule an appointment.
