On the Go Again

Phyllis Pope of Broken Arrow is happy to be back to her active lifestyle after total knee replacement surgery performed by Dr. LaButti.

Phyllis Pope had a successful total knee replacement ­operation by Dr. LaButti.

In September of 2012, Phyllis Pope of Broken Arrow had her right knee replaced by Dr. Ronald S. LaButti. “When I was young, I liked to jump out of trees and off of rooftops,” says Phyllis. “I’m also a bit clumsy – I’ve fallen a lot over the years, and ­usually, I fall on my knees. They’ve always hurt a little, and over time, they’ve gotten worse. For the last four or five years, my right leg would hurt and swell so badly that I couldn’t bend my knee or walk – I had to elevate it and ice it and put heating pads on it all the time.”

    Phyllis, a self-described on-the-go housewife, enjoys traveling with her husband, Julian, who is retired, as well as sightseeing, antiquing, and going to flea markets and ­auctions. In addition to her work in her church nursery, she enjoys babysitting for her neighbors and attending country music concerts.

    But the pain and swelling in her knee affected Phyllis’s ability to do all of it, she says. “Sightseeing on vacations was tough – I would walk a little ways and then have to sit down. Sometimes, we just had to go back to our room. Eventually, the knee started giving way, and I would almost fall. I was frustrated and miserable. I also work in the nursery at Indian Springs Baptist Church, and I was always worried about falling with one of the babies. I couldn’t even get on the floor to play, and if I managed to, I needed help getting back up.”

    Phyllis first went to Dr. LaButti in August 2012. “My husband made the appointment,” she says. “I wasn’t happy about it. I hate ­surgeries, and I have a lot of friends who’ve had bad ­experiences with surgery; some have even had to have more surgeries afterward. Even though I was in so much pain, I did not want a complete knee surgery.”

    Dr. LaButti compared new and year-old X-rays and told her the problem would only get worse. “Dr. LaButti was very helpful and patient,” says Phyllis. “He told me about the procedure and everything involved with ­complete knee replacement surgery, recovery, and beyond. He told me how much better my quality of life would be.”

    Eventually, she decided to have the surgery. “It turned out to be one of the best things that’s ever ­happened to me,” Phyllis says. “It restored my mobility and eliminated my pain. I’m thankful my husband made the ­appointment, and I’m ­thankful there was a doctor like Dr. LaButti to help me.”

    Phyllis says her ­post-surgery therapy was completely worthwhile. “After the ­surgery, I used a machine to work my knee, and I had ­­in-home therapy for six weeks, which was wonderful, and then outpatient therapy. The therapists did a great job,” she says.

    Phyllis was also impressed with Dr. LaButti’s staff. “The check-in was great and I never had to wait to see the doctor,” she says. “The nurses were wonderful, ­asking questions and ­listening. They seemed to really care. And whenever my husband had questions, he would call, and the doctor’s nurse always returned his calls very promptly. She was very helpful.”

    Phyllis highly ­recommends Dr. LaButti. “If it weren’t for him – with all his knowledge and ­experience, as well as bedside manner – I would never have had the surgery. Now I can do just about anything.” 

For more information, contact

Dr. Ronald S. LaButti

www.hipandkneedoc.com