Community Corner
Geneva Doctor's Innovative Knee Surgery Shown Around the World
Local surgeon, Dr. Vishal M. Mehta, was chosen from physicians around the globe to present his innovative knee surgery techniques at The Arthroscopy Association of North America's (AANA) conference held this spring
Combine the rapidly growing popularity of youth sports with the fact that knee injuries are up to eight times more likely in girls than in boys. If you’re the parent of an active female, the knee surgery innovations presented recently by a local doctor—chosen from surgeons around the globe—could be of critical interest to you in the not-too-distant future.
At this year’s AANA conference—which showcased the most innovative technologies available globally—Dr. Mehta was chosen from physicians worldwide to present his research on innovative knee surgery techniques, specifically for injuries involving the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Mehta is an orthopedic surgeon at the Fox Valley Orthopedic Institute (FVOI) in Geneva. The Fox Valley Orthopedic Research Foundation, the arm of FVOI where Mehta’s work is carried out, is an innovative, not-for-profit organization that promotes orthopedic research and development. Mehta’s philosophy is simple; he wants to know and understand exactly what he’s using before he performs surgery. Mehta likes to use surgical techniques that he’s tested personally in his own lab.
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“Before I put anything in my patients, I want to thoroughly check it out myself,” says Mehta. “I’ve always been interested in research, so building my own lab and research foundation and being in private practice in a community where I have the privilege of meeting and helping people every day is truly the best of both worlds.”
A common injury in athletes, girls are up to eight times more likely than boys to injure their ACL. An ACL injury is the over-stretching or tearing of this knee ligament. Acting like a rubber band, the ACL connects the thighbone to the shinbone, preventing the shinbone from sliding out in front of the thighbone, and providing rotational stability to the knee.
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During ACL reconstruction surgery, a hole is drilled into the thighbone to anchor the new ligament – sometimes fashioned from a patient’s hamstring tendon – and a screw and washer is used to fasten the other end to the shinbone.
“Positioning is critical,” says Mehta. “My research helps determine and standardize the perfect placement for the new ligament on the femur (thighbone), and the best way to affix the new ACL graft to the bone. The result, hopefully, is better healing overall.”
For more information on Dr. Mehta and his work, visit fvorf.org/ or fvortho.com.
Download ACL Injury Information: http://www.fvortho.com/uploads/docs/Dr%20Mehta/acl-release-web.pdf
ABOUT FOX VALLEY ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE (FVOI)
FVOI was founded in 1973 in Geneva, IL, for the purpose of providing exceptional comprehensive orthopedic care in an environment that puts patients first. The Institute provides a vast range of bone and joint surgery and care through its advanced imaging center, ambulatory surgery center, and CoSport physical therapy. Dedicated to the community, Fox Valley Orthopedics provides athletic trainers in many local high schools and is the official team physician group for the Kane County Cougars.
The practice serves communities throughout Chicago with offices in Geneva, Elgin, and Naperville. For more information, go to http://www.fvortho.com
