You are here: Home > Services > Orthopedic Care

Orthopedic Care

Orthopedic care is one of the major services offered by BMH to the community. The orthopedic practice of Drs. McLarney, Thatcher, and Vranos resides in beautiful spacious quarters on the first floor of the Richards Building at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.

(l. to r.) Elizabeth McLarney, MD; Jon Thatcher, MD; William Vranos, MD

The Orthopedic Department at BMH takes care of acute injuries and chronic conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system (i.e.: bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, nerves). In addition to the three board certified orthopedic surgeons on staff, the practice offers also a physician assistant and certified athletic trainer. And, right across the hall from the orthopedic practice, BMH offers an extensive physical therapy and specialized hand therapy department to assist with care and recovery of orthopedic conditions.

While most orthopedic patients do not require surgery, surgical procedures are an integral part of the orthopedic specialty and an extensive array of procedures are commonly performed at BMH.

Commonly Performed Surgeries

  1. Total joint replacements (total hip, total knee, and total shoulder replacement), greater than 100 per year.
  2. Minimally invasive joint arthroscopy (knees, shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle) approximately 300 a year.
  3. Fracture repair, over 200 a year.
  4. Hand surgery, (carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon repair), approximately 150 a year.
  5. Low back procedures – approximately 40 a year.

Because BMH has a relatively small efficient surgical suite with a tight knit surgical staff, post orthopedic surgical complications, such as infections, are low compared to national averages. Surgical equipment is state-of-the-art and surgical wait times are usually short. The board-certified surgeon you meet in our office will be directing and performing any surgery deemed necessary. This is as opposed to often having a resident in training at a larger teaching hospital.

Among the amenities in the BMH Orthopedics Program are:

  • Sports Medicine Program that combines orthopedic expertise, a certified athletic trainer, and physical therapy to get a patient back to competition or recreation safely and quickly. Sports injury surgery is commonly performed at BMH. (For more information about the BMH Sports Medicine Program, click here.)
  • Diagnostic digital X-ray in the Richards Building
  • MRI and CT scanning to aid in your diagnosis by the physician
  • Comprehensive physical and occupational therapy is available in Rehab Services immediately across from the orthopedic physicians’ offices. The skilled rehabilitation staff uses a variety of modalities to help you regain full mobility and function. (For more information about our Rehab Services, click here.)
  • Surgery, procedures, and treatments for certain back pain including:
    • pain caused by compression fracture of the spine – often experienced by women with osteoporosis – for which Kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive spinal surgery procedure using a balloon tamp to restore the height and shape of the vertebral body, followed by application of bone cement to strengthen the vertebra
    • pain caused by lumbar spinal stenosis using a small implant called the X-STOP Spacer, a minimally invasive procedure, to offer sustained pain relief
  • Physiatry, the study of Kinesiology (human performance and motion) is available at BMH. Physiatrist Brett Hynninen, MD, provides physical medicine and rehabilitation information to the patient.

Additional Services

In addition to our orthopedic surgeons who have performed hundreds of surgeries, the years of experience of our operating room staff, along with the highly trained members of the BMH Anesthesia Department and all of our surgical nurses help ensure the best possible outcome of your surgery or procedure.

Preoperative assessment and education is provided if you and your orthopedic surgeon decide surgical intervention is the best alternative for you. And BMH is now able to offer all pre-op services in one convenient location in the Richards Building, all on the ground level immediately off the large reception area.

Another board-certified orthopedic surgeon is currently sharing the offices with the three above. John Chard, MD, is available for consulting and coverage.

For more information call:

John Chard, MD (802-254-9441),
Elizabeth McLarney, MD (802-254-7787)
Jon Thatcher, MD (802-254-3500)
William Vranos, MD (802-254-6211)
Brett Hynninen, MD (413-774-7979)
Sports Medicine (802-258-6400)