After years of fearing the excruciating pain of foot surgery that she had witnessed and heard about, it became clear that she could no longer stall the process. Her previous record of excellent care and successful surgeries at Orthopedic Surgical Partners led Martha to their foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Andrew Litchfield. Over the previous 12 years, Dr. Robert McAllister had replaced both of her knees and a hip due to arthritic joints, with exceptional results. She had also seen Dr. John Mara for an arthritic right hand and trigger finger, which has been injected twice, with a procedure to be done after the second injection is no longer effective. In addition, she has seen Dr. Randall Risinger for her right arthritic shoulder. Injections and PT have managed to keep surgery at bay, thus far.
Dr. Litchfield – Getting Patients Back on Their Feet
Martha Hartle – History of Big Toe Pain and Poor Balance
In the 1980s, Martha started to experience pain in her right big toe, so she went to see an orthopedic surgeon in her hometown. He diagnosed it as gout. However, as the pain disappeared, the bump continued to grow in size. So, several years later, Martha visited an orthopedic surgeon in Hartford who diagnosed a bunion on the right big toe. She was told if it wasn’t painful, to avoid surgery—which she was happy to abide by. But as time went on, the big toe bent more and more to the right, pointing at two o’clock and overlapping the top of the second toe, which was being pushed up at its joint.
In early 2021, Martha started falling and attributed it to poor balance. After four falls, one with a mild concussion, she was instructed to begin PT to improve my balance. Her therapist took one look at the toes and explained to her that the big toe is paramount to balance and that she should see a foot/ankle orthopedic surgeon. At this point, she still had no pain from the bunion or hammertoe.
So as you can see, Orthopedic Surgical Partners is the only group that I trust with my arthritic issues. Their expertise, years of experience, and true compassion keep me returning as the need arises. And, I should add, the PA’s at Orthopedic Surgical Partners are amazing professionals, as are the medical assistants and other staff. – Martha Hartle
Martha’s Bunion Surgery and Hammertoe Correction
On September 1, 2021, Dr. Litchfield performed bunion surgery and hammertoe correction on Martha’s right foot. Her pre-op visits were constructive as Dr. Litchfield listened to her questions and those of her daughter, responded patiently and in layperson terms, and gave appropriate surgical options taking into consideration her medical history of arthritis. Martha was impressed by the fact that he was never condescending and noted that her experience in his office at her first visit led her to trust him and feel secure in his care.
Martha shared, “On the day of my procedures, I was at peace knowing I was in skilled, expert hands. I returned home within hours of the surgery. Subsequently, I had absolutely NO post-op pain and a perfect outcome. As of November 1, 2021, I was able to walk two miles comfortably and drive my car. If you follow Dr. Litchfield’s post-op instructions—pain meds the first two days as directed even if you have no pain, ice, elevation, and non-weight bearing for the first two weeks in a soft cast, followed by about 4 weeks in a boot—you should experience the same incredible outcome as mine. I had several post-op appointments with x-rays during those 6 weeks and one final appointment a month later.”
I am thrilled to be back to normal, walking my dog and spending time in nature without pain or worry, all thanks to Dr. Andrew Litchfield. – Martha Hartle
