Young Woman Cured of Chronic, Debilitating Knee Pain

Dr. Michael Rose Performs Specialized Joint Denervation Surgery

“Within a few months after surgery with Dr. Rose, I felt better. Prior to surgery, I couldn’t sit in a car for long periods of time or walk too much in the mall.” Mariah Novo, patient

The Point Pleasant, New Jersey, resident spent the next couple of years in and out of surgery. She underwent a complete reconstruction of her knee ligaments, specifically her patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), but following an infection, had to have yet another surgery to clean that out. Unfortunately, just six short months after that, Novo fell in school and broke her kneecap, requiring yet another surgery.

Despite undergoing all of these procedures, her pain had not resolved. “I was still hurting,” she said, “so I went to a ‘top dog’ in New York City.” He told her none of the surgeries were done correctly and that even rehab wouldn’t help. He attempted to redo the procedure with yet another surgery. But, despite cortisone shots and pain medications, six months later, Novo said she was still hurting. “I’m just stuck like this,” she thought, “Nothing has changed.”

Mariah, like so many of the patients who ultimately find the reconstructive surgeons at the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction, was told by her doctors she had “to make the best of it.” Additionally, like so many of those patients, she decided, “I wasn’t going to take that.”

Novo’s mom, who is a nurse, suspected her daughter might have a nerve problem. Someone she worked with suggested Dr. Michael Rose. Dr. Rose initially tested Mariah by giving her a nerve block in her knee. “Within a few minutes, I felt better,” she said. She booked her joint denervation surgery for December 2012.

“Within a few months after surgery with Dr. Rose, I felt better. Prior to surgery, I couldn’t sit in a car for long periods of time or walk too much in the mall.” Six months later, Novo is feeling back to normal. She works out strenuously 4 days a week in the gym, even doing spin classes. In a short time, she says she hopes to be running again.

Concludes Novo of Dr. Rose, “I was lucky to find someone who knew what he was doing.” Novo especially appreciated his honest assessment of her condition with the simple promise that he would do his best. Mostly, he inspired her confidence. “He knew what he wanted to do, and it worked.”