World-Class Orthopedic Care Close to Home

Casey Pickett was just 28 years old when a drunk driver hit him head on and left him with a brain injury, a broken pelvis, and two severely broken legs. He survived against all odds and was taken to Atlanta Medical Center. With both legs being broken, the hospital sought out Dr. William Terrell to perform his unique external fixation procedure on one of his legs. Then another doctor would repair the other leg with internal rods. This would allow Casey to have one leg to stand on with Dr. Terrell's external fixator. Dr. Terrell was given a one-day privilege at the Medical Center and went to work.

"What Dr. Valvani did for me has enabled me to play the Eagle Watch Member/Guest Golf Tournament for the past four years!" - John Koerner

In late 2014, John Koerner, came to Pinnacle after being seen by other doctors for low back pain. The other doctors said there was nothing that they could do. One physician even told him that he should get a new hobby and give up golf! Mr. Koerner met with Dr. Valvani and they discussed his treatment options and came up with a plan. He underwent a radiofrequency ablation for the arthritis in his back and also had an epidural. In January 2015, he was back on the golf course and was able to play golf 2 or 3 days a week for the next 3 1/2 Years.

So what happens when a weekend warrior gets sidelined with an injury?

That was the question Shannon Mallory was asking when he was injured playing soccer in November 2012. Shannon is a right mid-fielder for a team in an adult soccer league. He was injured in a game when he collided with an opponent as both were going for the ball. He heard a "pop" in his knee. The collision of the two players tore ligaments in Shannon's knee and dislocated his kneecap. After an MRI confirmed the ACL and MCL Acute tears, Shannon met with Dr. Kuczmanski. ACL Reconstruction Surgery was performed to repair the ligament. His MCL healed on its own.

David Johnston came to Dr. Terrell in 2013 asking for a leg amputation. Well that is not a common first appointment, but David had done his research. He had had multiple surgeries and constant severe pain for over 20 years due to ankle arthritis and osteomyelitis. He had tried many procedures and therapies and was ready for the bone amputation. He wanted to walk and run again.

About 20 years ago, Vanessa Garity had a fall in a snowstorm in Pennsylvania causing severe back pain. A 5-day hospital stay with IV steroid treatment and weeks of physical therapy fixed the problem at the time.

She would slowly begin to have back pain again but in 2011, the pain became worse. She was having sciatica down her leg so bad that she had to be put back on steroids. This was only a temporary fix. She then tried injections but those didn't work. Then she started to have weakness in her left leg and a "foot drop" - which is a when one can't lift their leg due to a muscular or neurological problem. Her orthopaedic surgeon at the time performed a Discectomy. (A Discectomy is a procedure to remove low back disc material that is pressing on a nerve.) Afterwards, she still had some numbness but did feel better at the time.

Kristin Laconi, brought her son, Jacob, 11, to Pinnacle after he showed off the "trick" he could do with his shoulder. Jacob is a typical active pre-teen who plays basketball and golf. Presumably, as a result of playing those sports, his shoulder began to pop out of place...thus the "trick."

His mother shares her experience with Pinnacle ...

Cross Finger Flap Surgery -- An injured finger is repaired by attaching it to the skin and soft tissue of a healthy finger to cover the defect.

Last year Pinnacle Orthopaedics had a patient who was a construction worker operating a skill saw when he sustained a laceration to his left index finger. He sustained what is called in medical terms an open distal phalanx fracture with volar oblique tip amputation - meaning the tip of his index finger was cut off and bone was exposed. The patient went to the emergency room but his injury required a hand specialist to repair his finger. He then went to see Trevor Starnes, M.D., Ph.D. at Pinnacle Orthopaedics. Dr. Starnes is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon and is Fellowship Trained in Hand and Upper Extremity.

George K. Roberts has been in the armed forces for the past 26 years. The last year was spent in Iraq defending our freedom by fighting terrorists. There he was hit by mortar fire and dogged many bullets while trying to simply stay alive. He came home to fight a bigger battle and a sharper bullet. While horseback riding at his home in Ranger, Georgia, he was thrown off his horse severely crushing his right leg. After calling 911, he was taken by truck to the main road over an hour away. There he met emergency service personnel that were waiting to take him to the nearest hospital in Calhoun, Georgia. His leg was repaired as best it could be and he was sent home to recover. He developed an infection which led him down a much more terrifying road. The doctors told him that due to the infection he had two choices: amputate the leg or contact William Terrell, MD at Pinnacle Orthopaedics. He chose the road to William Terrell MD at Pinnacle Orthopaedics and the rest is history.