22 Clinton Magazine Fall 2022
Foot and Ankle Surgeon , Dr . Michael Pyevich ,
ORA ORTHOPEDICS
“ About three days after the surgery , the pain was gone . I didn ’ t need any pain medication at all . Truly unbelievable and too good to be true after almost a year of pain . Dr . Pyevich really cares about his patients . I knew I ’ d have a great outcome .”
PATRICK THORNTON
Jumping into Retirement with Both Feet Thanks to a New Ankle
Le Claire Retiree , Patrick Thornton , 64 , had plans following his three-decade career at 3M Corporation . After working and managing plants for 38 years , he was looking forward to spending time with his two daughters and three grandchildren and making the annual pilgrimage to Walt Disney World , despite the severe pain in his ankle .
“ I retired in 2019 . A year later , my ankle really began to bother me . It got so painful I could barely walk . A trip to the doctor resulted in some cortisone shots , but they weren ’ t easing the pain . By the following summer of 2021 , the outside of my ankle hurt terribly . I needed to see someone right away . I headed to ORA ’ s Urgent OrthoCARE , and they immediately gave me a boot and referred me to see a foot and ankle specialist .”
Foot and Ankle Surgeon , Dr . Michael Pyevich , ORA Orthopedics , recalls his first impression after viewing the images of Pat ’ s ankle . " He had a terrible ankle . He had not only had arthritis and deformity , his anklebone was almost dislocated out of the front of the ankle . I don ’ t know how he endured that pain .”
“ Dr . Pyevich said my ankle was very degraded and that my shin bone had slid by more than an inch . He told me ankle surgery was inevitable and that the two outcomes would either be an ankle fusion or a total ankle replacement .”
“ Depending on the state of his ligaments ,” explains Dr . Pyevich , “ the preferred outcome would be to replace the ankle joint completely so that Pat would retain his range of rotation . Fusions require that I fuse the ankle bone to the shin bone , but that results in patients ’ losing their range of motion in their ankle .”
In October , Pat had surgery , and Dr . Pyevich discovered his ligaments were still viable . “ His side ligaments were intact , which was great news . I performed a total ankle replacement by replacing the bottom side of his shinbone and the top of his ankle . I removed the bone ravaged by arthritis and inserted high-performing plastic material to ensure he had a full range of motion .”
Pat says the pain relief was a blessing . “ About three days after the surgery , the pain was gone . I didn ’ t need any pain medication at all . Truly unbelievable and too good to be true after almost a year of pain . Dr . Pyevich really cares about his patients . I knew I ’ d have a great outcome .”
Four months later , Pat is back , roughhousing with the grandchildren , and planning his next trip to Walt Disney World . “ We love our grandkids . I love chasing them and keeping up with them . I ’ m too young to be old . My youngest grandchild is now walking , and I can walk , too . When we stand together on Main Street USA in Disney World ’ s Magic Kingdom , it just feels like home .”
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