Orthopedic recommendations

As some of you may know, I had a high side at road Atlanta during practice last June and ended up with a bad elbow breakage. My elbow was broken in 8 pieces and required 3 plates and a box of screws. I did the physical therapy and all, but had movement and strength limitations ever since which doctor warned me about. There was always some kind of a dull pain in it, when i had to bent my arm or stretch it as much as I could, but the pain that just started, I've never experienced before. It comes from one point of my elbow where I can't even touch it with my finger, the pain feels like needles and burning sensation.

I called my surgeon office and made an appointment, but it is almost 3 weeks from now and I don't think I can wait that long, and the only reason I didn't go somewhere else already is because I feel that my surgeon knows everything about my elbow since the accident.

Can any of you guys recommend me someone that you personally dealt with in the past in Atlanta area? Thanks

Here's a pic of my artwork :wow:

 

Jacob I have been using this doctor for 10 years. He used to be local for me but moved to a NC. Even though he moved he still came back to work on my wrist last year. He's very good at orthopedic work. My wrist was very badly damaged back in 06. Most would have fused it but he put it back together and I still have use of my hand.

I will warn you most doctors today do not like working behind another doctor. This is why I had to get him to come here to inspect my wrist issue from last year when the screws we're working loose on the plate. No doctor locally would touch me.

Here is his website if you exhaust all other options locally.
http://weatherlyortho.com

 

Thanks Roy! Did you get those screws removed after all when you had the surgery?

 

Kinda, the ones that were backing out yes they came out but the other 9 plus the plate are still in my wrist. That hardware could have been removed then but it would have placed a lot of trauma on my arm and I had discussed all this up front that I wanted to finish my race season regardless. So when he had my arm filleted open and seen the imbedded plate and screw heads were stripping off he made the call and removed the 3 loose ones and zipped me back up. I made the GNF and finished the season at Nola. To date no more issues with the wrist so the 3 screws he got out were the problem all along.

Having a dctor that is in tune with what you are doing is in my opinion very important. When you are on the table knocked out you can't discuss the do's and don't of the moment. He's not anti motorcycle either like so many are.

 

That is very true. I rather be out for few weeks off work and go thru another physical therapy and doctor visits as long as my arm is back to somewhat normal. I just hate the fact that I'll be going thru medical bills all over again and deductibles.

 

I went to this doc after my local ortho wanted to do an MRI and surgery on my elbow.
http://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-westly-bailey-x6447

He did an ultrasound and then we decided to try PRP to see if that helped before going surgical. I'm not sure if he's at Atlanta Sports Medicine anymore, but I was very happy with his approach.

And the PRP seems to have done the trick.

 

My deal was at least 8 years after the original surgery but I definetely hated the added expense of deductibles and medical bills. Which btw was way more 8 years later with my employee healthcare plan changes due to you know what. 8 years ago my company plan out of pocket was 1/2 what I had to fork out last year. The surgery billed by the hospital was 3 times more also.

Medical services these days is legalized robbery on a grand scale. :down:

 

Without getting to dungeony remember that medical practices are small businesses. People often forget that and consider Docs to be all knowing and 100% altruistic. But the simple fact is they have to pay their bills which means that they're going to use the machines that go ping any time they can to recoup the costs....

Hence my switch from a guy with an MRI truck in his parking lot to a guy that did ultrasound.

 

Sounds like nerve damage.

 

The doctor didn't raise his fees the greedy hospital and co partner in crime the insurance company did.

 

The nerves take along time to heal up and some may never heal 100%. My wrist had nerve issues up until first of January and now I hardly notice anything. Might need to give it some more time to see if indeed the nerves will heal up.

 

You may be having issues with the ulnar nerve from your fracture and/or the hardware used to fix it. It is not uncommon with the fracture you sustained. From what little that I can see from your x-rays, he did a great job fixing it. I would recommend that you see him again. Then, if you are unhappy, seek a second opinion from a fellowship trained shoulder and elbow specialist.

 

you know, that may indeed be my issue. I did a lot of reading about this subject and ever since the surgery I've had the tingle in my two fingers where the nerve goes to, even my doctor told me they had to move the nerve to reconstruct my elbow.

Thanks ORIF

 

Brian Morgan took care of my elbow and shoulder, I've been happy with his work. He is Johns Creek so not far from you.

http://www.orthoatlanta.com/care-providers/brian-e.-morgan-m.d/

 

Completely sounds like a nerve issue. Possibly some of your high speed hardware moved/shifted and now is hitting that elbow nerve they moved initially.

 

One word - Resurgens Orthopaedics.
OK, that's TWO words.

Back in '93 after the SECOND time turning my L tibia into pudding, a Doc there who is now retired (George Cierny) was able to do what the 2 Dr's before could not. Put me back together.
They were THIS close to breaking out a saw...

Every single patient that I ever came into contact with while there and just talking to folks over the years, was VERY happy with their specialist at Resurgens.

Good Luck.

 

+1 on resurgens. Shattered my collar bone dirty biking a few years ago in KY. Plated and a few screws and good to go. Very thorough and did a great job. Will go back if I ever decide to have the hardware removed or need anything else.

 

Thanks guys. I will update my thread after the doctor's visit. I will also look up the recommendations you posted.

 

Synthes devices?

 

UPDATE

Went to get x-rays and also to see my surgeon. One of the screws has backed out and it right underneath the skin. The pain I was experiencing was most likely from a screw I broke inside of my elbow.
I suppose to have a surgery next friday just to remove that one screw and leaving rest of the stuff alone (due to work, recovery etc)
I'm not experiencing that severe pain I was having but I'm not even sure if my insurance will cover the surgery, since they gutted my plan and took off my out of network coverage just to keep some kind of a health plan. I was told I can appeal to my healthcare provider where the surgery was done last year and now I need another operation to fix some stuff up.
Doctor said surgery itself is only 20 mins or so, I will only be sedated to remove that screw that backed out an inch or so.