Download the November/December 2012 Issue - Bayshore ...

Riverview Medical Center
Riverview Experts
Save Young Athlete’s Season
Logan Whelan, 12, can’t imagine his life without sports. He
loves baseball and lacrosse and was already looking ahead
to basketball season when a tackle during a football game
in fall 2011 threatened to put his athletic ambitions on hold. With
his shoulder in severe pain, Logan was taken by ambulance to
the Pediatric Care Center at Riverview Medical Center, part of
Meridian Pediatric Network.
There, Steven Lisser, M.D., a board certified orthopedic surgeon
and sports medicine physician, diagnosed Logan with a shoulder
fracture through the growth plate. This injury sometimes requires
surgery, making Logan anxious about his athletic future. “He was
in so much pain, but all he could think about was being healed
in time for basketball,” recalls his mother, Larson.
MeridianHealth.com • 1-800-DOCTORS
16
Thanks to the expert care he received in the Emergency Department at
Riverview Medical Center, Logan, 12, of Little Silver was able to quickly
recover from a football injury in time for basketball season, helping his
team go undefeated and win the championship.
Steven P. Lisser, M.D.
Board certified in Orthopedic Surgery
and Sports Medicine
Red Bank • 732-741-2313
We Help Keep You Moving
From nonsurgical treatment to major joint
replacement, Riverview Medical Center is
home to a team of experts and technology that
can get you back on the tennis court, treadmill, or
just doing the things you love. Find out more at
RiverviewMedicalCenter.com/RMC/services.
Easing Fears, Informing Family
“Growth plates are the cartilage, or soft part, at the end of
child’s bones where bone growth occurs,” explains Dr. Lisser.
“Shoulders, hips, knees, and other joints are at high risk for
injury at the growth plate because they are weaker, especially
during children’s growth spurts.”
Treatment of growth plate fractures depends on the
severity of the injury. In certain cases, casting or splinting
may be done to support and stabilize the fracture area, while
complex fractures may require surgery to provide the best
possibility for future bone growth. Logan was concerned
about needing surgery since that would delay his return to
sports. The Riverview team helped him cope.
“Everyone in the Emergency Department was phenomenal
in easing Logan’s fears and making him comfortable while
keeping me informed,” Larson says.
Quick Recovery
Dr. Lisser concluded that for Logan’s type of fracture, surgery
would not be necessary. Logan would need a conservative
plan of care, including a sling, close monitoring, and some rest.
“Not only was Dr. Lisser knowledgeable, I could tell he
cared about Logan,” says Larson. “He knew how important it
was to Logan to heal as quickly as possible. He didn’t want to
perform surgery unless it was absolutely necessary, but he was
careful to ensure that the bones were properly healed before
letting Logan play again.”
After only seven weeks, Logan began slowly using his arm.
By December 5, he was healthy enough to accomplish one of
his greatest goals: making his school basketball team, the Little
Silver Warriors.
“From the moment we arrived at Riverview, everyone bent over
backward for us,” Larson says. “They understood our concerns,
met our needs, and provided great care. I can’t thank them
enough for what they did for Logan and couldn’t have asked for
more as a parent.” • — Caitlin Coyle