Quality Care Close to Home

Some may say Logan Estes has led an action-packed life. The 36-year-old special education teacher from Ross served in the 82nd Airborne Division in the U.S. Army, which specializes in parachute operations. But years of parachute jumps put a strain on his knees, and on April 20, he heard a “pop” in his right knee while participating in an alumni basketball tournament at Ross High School. “I went down, and I knew it was a significant injury,” he recalls.

Logan was in pain and couldn’t walk. Knowing he could face a long wait for an appointment with an orthopedist at the VA hospital, he was glad when he learned that he could see a physician just two days later at Ross Medical Center, a full-service ambulatory care facility. A bonus? It’s just a few minutes down the road from his house.

A Quick Diagnosis

Matthew Daggy, MD, a sports medicine specialist at TriHealth Orthopedic & Sports Institute, examined Logan’s knee and sent him for X-rays and an MRI at the on-site imaging center the same day. “I received the results in less than 48 hours,” says Logan.

The scans showed that Logan had suffered tears in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the meniscus of his right knee. The ACL controls back and forth motion of the knee, and the meniscus, which consists of cartilage, cushions the joint. The MCL is located on the side of the knee. These tissues provide stability to the knee and are often torn in sports that involve sudden stops and changes in direction.

Bryan McCullough, DO, an orthopedic surgeon at TriHealth’s McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital (MHMH), recommended repairing Logan’s torn MCL and performing ACL reconstruction using cadaver tissue.“He said that would provide the fastest recovery time,” recalls Logan. Moving quickly, Dr. McCullough helped Logan schedule his surgery. “Before I had the surgery, I was fitted for a brace and started physical therapy to help stabilize my knee,” says Logan.

Logan had surgery on May 22. Afterward, he was able to return to Ross Medical Center for his rehabilitation. “We have a physical therapy and rehab program at Ross with board-certified orthopedic specialists,” says Neil Kamphaus, Director of Business Health and Practice Administrator at MHMH. “It’s convenient for local patients to have physical therapy so close to home.”

At press time, Logan was attending physical therapy once a week. This fall, he will be able to start running again, and he expects to return to other activities— maybe even basketball—this winter. “My recovery is going great,” says Logan.