HealthLinks Charleston July/August 2022

wwww. Char l es tonPr imar yPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com | 65 Dr. Andrew Saffer and Dr. Adam Brown, founders of Carolina Foot & Ankle Specialists, with offices in Mount Pleasant and Charleston, are happy to announce the addition of Dr. Vishal Desai, as of Aug. 1. “My wife is an ophthalmologist and begins a fellowship in cornea surgery at MUSC on July 1. We are both excited to be a part of the Lowcountry community,” Dr. Desai said. “Sports are my biggest hobby, and I enjoy participating and watching almost any sport. I appreciate the importance of getting our patients up, moving and back to 100% activity as soon as possible,” he added. Originally from the southwest suburbs of Houston, Dr. Desai completed his education at the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine near Cleveland, then went through a rigorous surgical residency at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where he served as chief resident in his final year. This was followed by an additional one-year fellowship in advanced reconstruction, sports medicine and peripheral nerve surgery at South Central Pennsylvania Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Surgery Fellowship in Lancaster. Dr. Desai said the diversity in patients, pathology and treatment options was what drew him to podiatry. “Podiatry and foot and ankle surgery allows the opportunity to treat a wide array of patients, from pediatric patients to the most elderly in our community.” The pathology of podiatry can range from something simple to something as complex as end stage arthritis and fractures. Dr. Desai said that podiatry gives him the opportunity to use a variety of skills that he obtained through his education on a daily basis. “Medicine is constantly evolving, and sports medicine and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery offer exciting advances in both conservative and surgical treatment options, such as newer minimally invasive or arthroscopic procedures that allow a patient to recover with less pain and swelling. As a result, this helps minimize post-operative opioid use, decreases time off following surgery and, most importantly, helps patients to get back to 100% function as soon as possible. Conservatively, another option for our active population is PRP or amniotic injections, which provide an additional treatment option for patients hoping to avoid surgery.” Confirming the importance of sports medicine as a treatment for patients of any age, Dr. Desai affirmed that it’s extremely important to address injuries and strains early: “Unfortunately, patients and athletes – both professional and amateur – will try to fight through the pain. This can sometimes cause a simple issue with a simple conservative treatment plan to turn into a chronic issue requiring possible surgical intervention that could have been avoided.” The approach at Carolina Foot & Ankle Specialists is to listen to the patients in order to get an understanding of their needs, lifestyle and desires. Dr. Desai said it is important to involve patients in the decision-making process for their care. “While we can perform both non-operative and operative treatments, there are a wide variety of ways to tackle an injury, so we believe it is paramount to educate patients, which allows us to work directly with them to make a joint decision on the best path of care both in the short-term and the long-term.” GETTING PATIENTS BACK ON THEIR FEET By Eileen Casey SPONSORED MEDICAL CONTENT For more information on Carolina Foot & Ankle Specialists, call the Mount Pleasant office at 843-654-8250 or the Charleston office at 843-225-5575 or visit cfaspecialists.net. Dr. Vishal Desai

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