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Setting the Bar for Broken Bones
When a boy’s dreams of summer fun seemed all but dashed by
a broken arm, the top-notch talent and technology of Riverview’s
Orthopedics Department got things back in line.
Just a few weeks into Jake Carbone’s
summer vacation, the Morganville
8-year-old was playing on a jungle gym
when he slipped and fell. The impact
of his arm hitting the ground caused
immediate pain, and his parents knew
he needed medical attention. They
rushed him to Riverview Medical Center’s
Emergency Care Center.
Jake’s parents, Patti and
Charlie, appreciated the swift
attention and personalized care
their son received. "The doctors
and nurses were really good
with Jake and very professional,"
recalls Patti. "They took X-rays,
stabilized his arm, controlled
his pain, and we were home
in just a few hours."
The next morning, Jake
went to the office of Steven
Friedel, M.D., a board-certified
orthopedic surgeon at Riverview.
Jake hit it off with Dr. Friedel right away. "Dr. Friedel was so nice
and talked to Jake in terms that he
could understand," says Patti. "When
Jake had his cast applied, he made sure
that Dr. Friedel was the first to sign it.
He actually enjoyed seeing the doctor
at follow-up visits."
A New Way of Looking at Things
Dr. Friedel reviewed the X-rays that
had been taken the night before at
Riverview. Historically, patients would
need to carry a large envelope of films
to the doctor’s office, but with new
technology at Riverview Medical
Center, all Patti needed to bring was
a CD-ROM.
Thanks to Riverview’s new Picture
Archive Communication System
(PACS), physicians can look at films
in a whole new way. Instead of having
X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and other
diagnostic images stored on a piece
of film, the images are stored in
a digital format. Physicians can view
the films from computer terminals
throughout the Medical Center,
in their offices, and even at home.
"The speed of producing the images
and the easy format make it convenient
for the patient, and the physicians
appreciate the broad access and
enhanced quality," notes Dr. Friedel.
"You can change the contrast and
zoom in to specific areas, which
helps in the most precise evaluation
and diagnosis."
Getting Back to Fun and Games
Broken bones are common when kids
are home during the summer. But
compared to typical breaks, Jake’s was
worse than most. "When Jake landed,
his wrist bent 90 degrees," explains
Dr. Friedel. "His forearm fractured
in two places, and the top piece of the
radius slid over the other broken piece."
Jake underwent what’s known as a
closed reduction in the doctor’s office
to manipulate and realign the broken
bones. Even though he had to wear
an arm cast for six weeks, Jake made
the most of his summer vacation
and had quite a story to tell when
he returned to school. Now back
to his normal routine, he continues
to enjoy his favorite activities, like
football and karate.
 – Donna Sellmann
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