Newsletter 
SEARCH ARTICLES
NEWSLETTER
JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com
Peggy had knee replacement surgery in July, and “as soon as I woke up, I started moving my knee and exercising,” she says. Since then, her pain continues to subside.subsided since then.
Legend has it that the first breeding pair of this species to take up residence in Marionville, Missouri, were escapees from a carnival that passed through shortly after the turn of the 19th century.
Whether that’s true remains a mystery, but this much is certain: nestled deep in the heart of the Ozarks, Marionville is one of the few places in America where you’ll find an abundance of white squirrels, and that is why Peggy Romine finds the little town so special.
Peggy, who has visited Marionville on several occasions, is a wildlife photographer who is most proud of the many images she’s taken of white, or albino, squirrels, a rare species that she is also licensed to rehabilitate.
“Wildlife rehabilitation involves taking in injured, abandoned or orphaned wildlife, and my area of specialty, if you will, became small mammals, namely squirrels, although I also rehabilitate bunnies and flying squirrels,” Peggy explains.
“And yes, there is such a thing as flying squirrels. We even have them in Florida. They’re nocturnal, so you’ll only see them at night, but I’ve raised and rehabilitated thousands of squirrels and released them into the wild.”
It’s been about five years since Peggy last photographed or rehabilitated any kind of animal. The reason is an excruciating battle with right knee pain that began with a simple walk from her bed to the bathroom.
“In that moment, my knee just kind of gave out,” Peggy says. “It hurt for months after that, and after trying all kinds of stuff to get rid of the pain, I was finally sent for an MRI. That’s when I learned I had a torn meniscus.”
The meniscus is cartilage that cushions the area of the knee between the tibia (shinbone) and femur (thighbone). It can tear with a forceful twist or turn of the knee, but those tears can be repaired surgically, which is what Peggy opted for after learning her diagnosis.
During the operation, however, Peggy’s surgeon discovered that virtually no other cartilage was left in her right knee. That prompted the surgeon to cancel the procedure and recommend a total knee replacement.
Peggy agreed, but it took four years to gain approval from her insurance company. While waiting, Peggy tried rebuilding her knee through regenerative medicine and physical therapy, but neither provided relief.
“In fact, my pain only got worse,” says Peggy, who was in such agony that it eventually forced her to quit her job as an airline customer service rep and file for disability. Approval of that request was slow in coming, too.
Today, however, Peggy looks back on those delays as a “godsend.” The reason is she used that time to search for just the right surgeon to perform her knee replacement, and she found him completely by chance.
“While searching online one day, I must have clicked something by mistake because out of nowhere this doctor’s office calls and says, We understand you need a knee replacement,” Peggy remembers. “I said, Yes, I do, and that’s how I wound up seeing Dr. Clifford.”
Success Stories
Philip E. Clifford, MD, AAHKS, AAOS, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Tampa. Along with Paulina “Mattie” J. Collier, MPAS, PA-C, he co-founded Outpatient Joint Replacement Center of America, which specializes in an innovative outpatient surgical protocol for hip and knee joint replacement, or arthroplasty.
Outpatient Joint Replacement Center’s approach eliminates long postoperative hospital stays and allows for speedier recoveries that permit patients to walk away from surgery after a few hours and quickly resume normal activities.
Dr. Clifford’s patients have included a cyclist who returned to riding 15 miles a day within a month of receiving a new knee, an 80-year-old skier who was back on the slopes a few weeks after a hip replacement, and a yoga instructor who was doing poses and stretches while still in the recovery room after her hip replacement.
And now there’s Peggy, who’s treatment began with a thorough examination, when Dr. Clifford confirmed the need for a total right knee replacement and explained in detail the medications and techniques that are at the core of his procedure’s success.
“One of the medications we use is called Exparel®,” Dr. Clifford explains. “It’s a nonopioid, local anesthetic that can last for two to three days. And whether we’re replacing a knee or a hip, we always use a technique that requires less assault on the muscle. There is less trauma to the hip, less blood loss and a smaller chance the length of the leg will be changed.
“Our hip procedure, for example, is performed through an incision that is only three to four inches long. That small incision is what allows for the preservation of muscle attachments. It’s also important to note that we detach only one tendon from the hip, which is then repaired anatomically.
“But the best thing about our protocol is that there are no limitations after surgery. Whether it’s a knee or hip being replaced, patients can return to activities almost immediately. In fact, we encourage them to do just that.”
-Dr. Clifford
Instruction and communication are two other important factors in the protocol. The doctor says he spends more than an hour preparing patients and educating them on the postoperative regimen required to ensure a successful outcome.
“Not only that, but when our patients go home after surgery, they know that between 4 and 7 o’clock that night, we’re going to call to check on them,” the doctor adds. “It’s not them calling us; it’s us calling them. That level of patient care does not exist in many places.”
Finally Free of Pain
Peggy underwent replacement surgery on her right knee in July. Within hours of that procedure, she was relieved of the pain that had haunted her for a half-decade.
“The surgery was easy, and immediately afterward, as soon as I woke up, I started moving my knee and exercising it,” Peggy says. “The nurses even came and got me up and had me walk up some stairs. About an hour later, I was released to go home.”
In the months since, Peggy’s knee pain has steadily subsided. She now feels “much better” and is looking forward to resuming the activities she was forced to abandon during her five-year saga. She says she has only Dr. Clifford to thank for that.
“From appointment one, all the way through the surgery and afterward, he has just been amazing,” Peggy enthuses. “I’ve dealt with a lot of doctors through this, but none like Dr. Clifford. I truly cannot say enough good things about that man.
“When you’re in an appointment with him, there is not one question that he doesn’t answer to the nth degree. And he’s just the nicest guy and so knowledgeable. And he did such a great job. You can hardly see my scar.
“His staff is very professional and friendly, too, and people like that are not easy to come by, so I would absolutely recommend Dr. Clifford and Outpatient Joint Replacement Center of America. Like I said, they’re just amazing.”
Overcoming Knee Pain: Kathleen Laporta's Journey to Mobility
Near the top of the list of things that has brought Kathleen Laporta the most joy is a chestnut-colored Arabian gelding named El Arafon. A 1974 Alfa Romeo 2L Spider…
An Outpatient Protocol For Hip Replacement
People have been known to find love in some very strange places. Few can say they found it in a place as strange as Michelle Perry, who met “her person”…
Hip Pain No More: How Paul Harker Scored a Home Run with Dr. Clifford's Surgery"
Anytime an infielder, outfielder or pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays lands on the disabled list with an injury, it’s the job of Paul Harker to coordinate that player’s medical…
Special Delivery
In the trying days and weeks that followed the premature birth of Beth Barrett’s daughter 45 years ago, the team of neonatal nurses that cared for the infant saved a…
Life Beyond Pain: Frederick's Journey from Hip Troubles to Slope Conquests
Of all the people who rang in the new year by strapping on a pair of skis and hitting the slopes, Frederick Wade stood out for two exceptional reasons. First…
Breaking Free from Knee Pain: Martin Hodges' Positive Experience with Outpatient Knee Replacement
The pergola he built from scratch is a pretty good example of Martin Hodges’ vast skill as a handyman, but the best example is the woodshop and apartment he crafted…
Leave a Reply