Profile: Frederick Morgan

PRINCETON - It wasn't Dr. Frederick Morgan's intention to go into orthopedics. "I wanted to be a family doctor, but I fell in love with orthopedics along the way," he said.

He credits Dr. Sam Muscari Sr. of Family Healthcare Associates with influencing his career choice. "He was the one who started me on the track to medicine," he explained.

Morgan grew up in Oceana and now makes his home in Bluefield, Va., with his wife, Pam, and their three children. His mother, Carol Morgan, still lives in Oceana. Spending time with his family is how he relaxes, along with traveling and golf. "My kids keep me well grounded," he added with a laugh.

After medical school, Morgan did a one-year residency at Ohio University followed by a one-year fellowship at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. "I've been at the center since then ...," he said. The "center" is the Orthopedic Center of the Virginias in Princeton, where doctors have worked to ease the suffering of area residents through a variety of programs, including high-tech joint replacements. "We have patients, who've had hip or knee pain, to come back here on a daily basis to say we changed their lives for the better," Morgan said, adding that is one of the best things about his job.

The most difficult part, however, is the times when things don't turn out as expected. "On occasion, even though you make your best effort, the outcomes can be poor, with infection or other complications. But you can't always stop those things from occurring," he said.

July 12, Morgan performed West Virginia's first computer-guided minimally invasive knee replacement surgery at Princeton Community Hospital. One of his partners, Dr. Philip Branson, performed the second such surgery in the state only a short time later. They performed three more of the surgeries the following day.

Branson grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of Northwestern University. There was never any question about his career choice. "It was just something I always wanted to do," he said. "The choice was made at an early age." Branson was accepted into a medical honors program at his high school through Northwestern University. "The most wonderful thing (about orthopedics) is that we give people back their lives. They come in, they can't walk, they can't dance, they can't ride their motorcycles," he said. "We restore their lives. "We get to participate with patients in aspects of their lives that no other professional can," he emphasized, adding the doctors can assist patients in improving their bodies so they can improve their mobility and independence. He is bothered by the increasing amount of paperwork now required. "The paperwork involved in taking care of patients interferes with taking care of their medical needs," he explained. To relax, he spends time with his family - wife, Cynthia, and their three children, as well as working out on a regular basis. "Spending time with my family means being my kids' chauffeur and the chief fan at every sport you can imagine," he said with a laugh. His wife and children have been the biggest influences in his life."My wife and children have changed me in a personal way that no other can," he added.

Although Morgan has been at the Princeton center for eight years, it has been open for a quarter of a century. Dr. Darrell Belcher first opened his office at the Princeton location in 1977, then was joined by Branson in 1987. "With Dr. Branson's arrival, the face of the practice changed with the addition of arthroscopic surgery. Many other changes have been made through the years. The building houses its own X-ray department and also has a physical therapy business in the same building."

The Orthopedic Center of the Virginias specialize in minimally invasive and state-of-the-art techniques for arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgery as well as joint replacement. It also offers a wide spectrum of non-surgical treatments. Dr. Robert P. Kropac, who joined the practice in 1996, specializes in conservative orthopedic care and comprehensive impairment evaluations.

When less invasive treatments don't work, however, a successful joint replacement can make an arthritis sufferer feel like a new person, the doctors say, greatly reducing pain and improving mobility.

The computer-guided surgeries can shorten hospital stays, reduce post-operative complications, as well as improve knee joint stability. Minimally invasive means a smaller incision and less pain. "Total knee replacement is an extremely successful way to treat patients suffering from severe knee pain," Morgan said. "The new surgical navigation technology that we have in place greatly enhances our ability to restore range of knee function and return patients to normal activity."

Similar to GPS directional tracking systems used by the military, the computer-navigated surgery allows precise alignment of the joint to within one-half a degree, Morgan explained, which can add longevity to the replacement component.

Morgan said when he came to the Orthopedic Center of the Virginias eight years ago, joint replacement patients had a 90 percent chance of the component lasting 10 years. Today, they have an 88 percent chance the replacement joint will last 20 years, maybe longer with the precision of the computer-guided components.

The Stryker Knee Surgery Navigation System uses an infrared camera and markers, along with unique instrument tracking software, to continually monitor the position and mechanical alignment of the implant components relative to the patient's knee anatomy. Wireless instruments send data pertaining to the knee movement to the computer, Morgan said. The computer analyzes and displays the movement data on a monitor in the form of charts and graphs that supply the surgeon with the optimum angles, lines and measurements needed to align the prosthetic knee with the patient. "It gives us computer assistance in the operating room," Branson noted. "With it, we can give a patient a new knee that has the best possible stability and range of motion. In turn, that results in a knee replacement that will last longer."

The surgery offers great relief to patients suffering from severe knee pain and disability caused by damage to cartilage from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or trauma, Morgan said. The physicians have cautiously offered the minimal invasive surgeries to carefully selected patients because there are risks associated with the procedures.

Branson emphasized anyone who needs joint replacement surgery should research it carefully before making a decision.