Karla’s Journey Back to a Better Quality of Life  

Several years ago, Karla fractured her lumbar vertebrae, an injury that began her journey to find orthopedic care to restore her quality of life. In 2024, in addition to her back pain, Karla started to experience knee pain that was progressing to her hip. That summer, she connected with Dr. Brandon Prioreschi, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement at Middlesex Orthopedic & Spine Associates. 
 
Karla and Dr. Prioreschi worked together to understand and treat the source of her pain. They started treatment with a series of injections for her hip. If the injections were successful, it would indicate that Karla’s hip was the underlying cause of her pain, which Dr. Prioreschi believed to be the case. His diagnosis was confirmed. For several months following the injections, Karla experienced less discomfort. 
 
Eventually, the effects of the injections receded, and Karla’s hip pain returned. She made another visit to Dr. Prioreschi, who helped her weigh her options to maximize her quality of life: continued regular injections that would provide temporary relief, or a total hip replacement that could provide long-lasting improvement after recovery from surgery. 
 
“He never pushed surgery on me or tried to influence my decision; instead, he helped me to understand the journey I was on…” Karla said of Dr. Prioreschi.  
 
“My goal is to treat patients as a whole, not just their injuries,” Dr. Prioreschi explained. “It was important to provide Karla skilled surgical care for her hip. But it was equally important for me to provide the information and support she needed to make the best decision for her quality of life.” 
 
In November of 2024, Karla underwent total hip replacement surgery performed by Dr. Prioreschi. The procedure was a success, and marked a major step forward on her long and challenging path. Her recovery has gone well, and she now describes her hip as virtually pain free. Even the back pain Karla has experienced for years has decreased. 
 
“I am grateful not only to have found such an excellent and knowledgeable ortho surgeon,” Karla said, “but also a wonderful and caring person—who over the months has always made time for me, answering my many questions and helping to alleviate my concerns and fears.”