Franklin Hospital surgeon first in New York metropolitan area to perform procedure

For the first time in two years, Andrew Keaveney, of Locust Valley, NY, is able to walk on his own, thanks to a groundbreaking new ankle replacement surgery performed for the first time in the New York metropolitan area at Franklin Hospital.

At a recent news conference at Franklin, Mr. Keaveney joined his orthopedic surgeon, Craig Radnay, MD, an attending physician in the hospital’s Joint Replacement Program and a member of the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Institute for Orthopedic Science, in discussing the improved mobility he has experienced since receiving the INBONE ™ Total Ankle Replacement.

Mr. Keaveney, a veteran of the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, A Company, in Fort Bragg, NC, sustained a debilitating broken ankle in November 2007. While decorating his hometown with flags to commemorate Veterans’ Day, he was tossed from the back of a truck in which he was riding, falling eight-to-ten feet to the pavement. Mr. Keaveney had been a paratrooper in the Army, jumping countless times from airplanes without serious injury, so the irony that he sustained an ankle injury falling from a truck was not lost on him.

One year after the accident, with the pain increasing and still unable to get around without a walker, Mr. Keaveney searched the Internet and learned of Dr. Radnay’s work with a new procedure known as INBONE ™, manufactured by Arlington, TN-based Wright Medical Technology. After the two men consulted, it became clear that Mr. Keaveney would be a great candidate for the prosthesis.

The INBONE ™ Total Ankle Replacement provides an alternative to patients who want to maintain joint mobility and have exhausted options such as non-surgical foot braces, casts or steroidal injections in the joint. “These patients want to avoid more restrictive surgical options such as arthroscopic debridement or fusion that leave the ankle with little or no motion,” Dr. Radnay explained. “This new surgical option provides an expanded range of motion most patients crave.”

“During surgery, the surfaces of the ankle joint are replaced with metal, and a thick polyethylene spacer acts as a cushion in between those surfaces, allowing for smooth, stable motion through the ankle joint,” said Dr. Radnay.

The INBONE ™ Total Ankle is different from other ankle replacements for two reasons: first, the prosthesis is customizable by length and diameter to allow for a more individualized fit with minimal bone removal; and second, it features anchoring stems that secure the prosthesis in place and reduce the likelihood that the joint will loosen over time.

Recovery time is also minimal -- the procedure typically requires only one overnight stay in the hospital and casts are typically removed within four-to-six weeks after the operation. Full recovery takes approximately two-to-six months, during which time patients can expect to have little or no pain when walking or flexing the foot.

“I’m feeling no pain for the first time in years,” said Mr. Keaveney, who is now able to walk on his own with no indication that he underwent major surgery. “This operation has given me more than I could have hoped for. Dr. Radnay has allowed me to walk again.”

In recognition of Mr. Keaveney’s service to his country from 1958-61 and his commitment to America’s fallen heroes, Joseph Manopella, Franklin Hospital’s deputy executive director, presented Mr. Keaveney with a new American flag, shipped from the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg. In addition, a representative of US Rep. Carolyn McCarthy presented Mr. Keaveney with a Congressional proclamation, praising his devotion to his brothers and sisters in arms.

Eager to show off his progress, Mr. Keaveney walked around the room without limping, drawing applause from Dr. Radnay and other members of the hospital’s joint replacement team. When asked about his long ordeal, Mr. Keaveney said, “It’s great to be able to live once again without pain. I’m back in action.”

Media Contact: Michelle Pinto/Kristen Longo 516-465-2649/516-465-2607