Back to Life—and Napa—After ACL Repair at St. Luke’s Orthopedic Hospital

When Brook Caruso injured her knee during an April deep-sea fishing trip, she worried she wouldn’t be able to take a long-planned vacation to Napa Valley.

The care she received from orthopedic surgeon Dr. Scott Doroshow of St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care, and the team at St. Luke’s Orthopedic Hospital-West End Campus, allowed her to keep her plans with her college friends and head to California just six weeks after surgery to repair her ACL.

“I wasn’t out climbing mountains or doing any extreme hiking, but we were able to enjoy our trip,” Caruso said with a laugh. “So, it was great. I was able to tote my suitcase, get on a plane myself and do most everything we had planned.”

Caruso may have needed to skip the Napa Valley trip had Dr. Doroshow not quickly fit her into their surgical schedule. Caruso and her friends had planned the trip 6-8 months earlier, and she didn’t want to miss it.

“Although anyone would want to avoid the surgery risks, if possible, the risk of not undergoing surgery is far too high with an ACL tear,” Dr. Doroshow explained. “The knee would continue to be loose and unstable, which would make it hard to live with and achieve the same level of function.”

Caruso had her surgery May 9.

“It was seamless,” Caruso said of her surgery and care. “The surgical center was beautiful and inviting, and each person I came in contact with was kind, caring, compassionate, and very professional. From the second we checked in to the time we left, there was somebody caring for me.”

"ACL Surgery is not only about getting the patient back to activities without instability in the short term but also preventing arthritis and preserving the health of the joint," Dr. Doroshow explained. “Once we discussed this in our preoperative visit, Brooke was in complete understanding and an agreement to have the surgery. Brooke was a pleasure to take care of, and I always enjoy getting patients back to their quality of life.”

The quick turnaround from injury to surgery and physical therapy allowed Caruso to do more than take her trip to Napa Valley. Several weeks before Caruso went to California, her son graduated from Emmaus High School. Caruso had family visiting from Maine and Florida for her son’s graduation, and she wanted to be in the best shape possible given the timing of her surgery.

Caruso said she started working with Physical Therapy at St. Luke's in Macungie on May 12, just three days post-surgery. Four weeks later, she was walking without crutches and able to host with help from her family.

“PT has been critical to my healing,” Caruso said. “Rick is extremely knowledgeable, encouraging, honest and professional. The Macungie office has been able to get me scheduled when I’ve needed.”

“We started Brooke in physical therapy almost immediately after surgery,” said Rick Grubb, PT, MSPT. “Recovery from an ACL reconstruction can be challenging, but I’ve found that the sooner we get patients moving, the better the outcomes. I view rehab as a team effort between the patient, the surgeon and myself. Through focused exercise, education and the use of technology, Brooke was able to achieve her goals. Even after formal therapy ended, she knows she can reach out anytime for guidance on continued exercise.”

Six months removed from surgery, Caruso isn’t slowing down. With her son in college, she and her husband have more travel plans. They just visited their son in Florida and will be on the road again in a few weeks.

“My knee is feeling great,” Caruso said. “I’m so very grateful for Dr. Doroshow. He’s not only an excellent surgeon, but one of the most patient and kindest doctors I’ve ever met. He spent so much time with my husband and I to clearly explain things about the surgery and recovery.

“I’m also grateful that I had the surgery so quickly. Now I’m able to do a bunch of the stuff I wasn’t able to do before. It’s wonderful to be able to walk without pain and do the things I want to do without pain, such as traveling and actively enjoying this next season of life as an empty-nester.”