Patient Testimonials

Barbara – Annandale
Knee Replacement

Dennis – Amissville
Total Hip Replacement

Blanca – Leesburg
Bilateral Hip Replacement

Sarah – Burke
Fractured Elbow

Ca'Dell – Reston
Achilles Repair

Carolyn – Alexandria
Bilateral Hip and Knee Replacements

Hisham – Reston
ACL Repair

Brian – Herndon
Torn Biceps Tendon

John – Springfield
Spine Surgery

Hiko – Fairfax
Detached Thumb Ligament

Matthew – Fairfax
Shoulder Repair

Courtney –McLean
Fractured Leg

Lisa – Centreville
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Maurice – Clifton
Osteoarthritis

Maureen – Oak Hill
Non-Surgical Pain Management

Brian – Reston
Minimally Invasive Total Hip Replacement

James – Arlington
Knee Replacement

Cheryl – Oak Hill
Reconstructive Hand Surgery

Chris – Arlington
Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Vilma – Vienna
Fractured Wrist

Kelsey – Centreville
Spondylolysis

Jeff – Alexandria
Shoulder Repair

Jenna – Centreville
ACL Repair

Brian – Arlington
Knee Arthroscopy

Donna – West Springfield
Pilates and Core Stabilization

Keith – Stafford
Torn Rotator Cuff

Rachel – Vienna
Broken Wrist

Patson – Annandale
Herniated Disc

Jerri – Alexandria
Muscle-Sparing Total Knee Replacement

Matthew – Lucketts, VA
Ankle Replacement

Garrett – Vienna
Shoulder Rehabilitation

Karen – Alexandria
Shoulder Repair

James – Annandale
Distal Biceps Tendon Repair

Laurie – Potomac Falls
Minimally Invasive Hip Arthroscopy

Kevin – Alexandria
Lacerated Extensor Tendon Repair

Mary – Herndon
ACL Reconstruction and Meniscus Transplant

Sam – Edgewater, MD
Shoulder Repair Surgery

Phil – Springfield
Clavicle Fracture

Kelley – Sterling
Dislocated Kneecaps

Brian – Vienna
Skier’s Thumb

Stephanie – Vienna
Knee & Hip Replacement

Patient Testimonials - Patson

Annandale – Herniated Disc

Patson When Patson first felt neck pain, he dismissed it as a minor nuisance. But the pain worsened over time and the 41-year-old Annandale resident sought treatment at a number of local hospital emergency rooms. “Each time, they told me it was nothing serious and sent me home,” he recalls. After a long drive from North Carolina, the pain became so acute he called 911 to take him to the emergency room once again. There, an MRI revealed the worst: a huge herniated disc was crushing his spinal cord.

The radiologist immediately called Commonwealth Orthopaedics surgeon Thomas Mazahery, MD, who rushed to the emergency room. When he got there, Patson was almost completely paralyzed. He had no sensation from the waist down and no motion in his legs.

Patson’s prognosis was poor. As he prepped for emergency surgery, Dr. Mazahery delivered the difficult news: Patson might never walk again. During the five-hour procedure, Dr. Mazahery performed a corpectomy to decompress Patson’s spine, removed two discs, and reconstructed his cervical spine with a bone graft. Time was of the essence because his spinal cord had shut down completely.

“Commonwealth’s integrated approach enabled me to recover completely,” says the Zimbabwe native. “Now my pain is gone and I can do anything I want. I walk two miles a day. I can sleep. I have my quality of life back.”

Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. When Patson woke up from surgery, he felt sensation in his legs. When he left the hospital four days later, the full strength of his legs had returned. Physical therapy helped him walk again and occupational therapy helped him regain his speech. “Commonwealth’s integrated approach enabled me to recover completely,” says the Zimbabwe native. “Now my pain is gone and I can do anything I want. I walk two miles a day. I can sleep. I have my quality of life back.”

With Dr. Mazahery’s blessing, Patson will realize a dream later this spring when he moves to North Carolina to become a NASCAR mechanic.