Dr. Benjamin Abraham Silver, MD

My husband underwent a left total knee replacement with Dr. Benjamin Silver at Geauga Medical Center in January 2025. We chose Dr. Silver because we trusted that he would provide the expertise, follow-up care, and attention needed after such a major surgery. After surgery, we quickly realized that something was not right. His kneecap began moving progressively to the outside of his knee. Instead of improving, the problem continued to worsen. At multiple postoperative appointments, including January 30, March 12, and May 15, X-rays showed the continued lateral movement of his patella. Despite these findings, we were not given a clear plan to correct the problem or prevent further damage. At the May 15 appointment, PA Mitch Huber acknowledged that he had never seen a complication like this before. He told my husband, “If it doesn’t hurt, leave it alone.” My husband was then discharged from care despite the visible deformity and the fact that his kneecap was continuing to move out of… position. Over the following months, my husband’s condition deteriorated. His kneecap became chronically dislocated and fixed to the outside of his knee. His gait changed, his mobility declined, and everyday activities became increasingly difficult. We eventually sought another orthopedic opinion because we knew something was seriously wrong. The second orthopedic surgeon reviewed his imaging and explained that the femoral component was not properly rotated for his valgus knee anatomy. We were told that this contributed to the patellar maltracking and that correcting the issue would now require a complex revision total knee replacement. What could have potentially been addressed earlier had become a much more serious and invasive problem. The consequences have been life-changing. Before this surgery, my husband was active and independent. He had played in a golf league for more than 30 years, enjoyed yard work, walked without difficulty, climbed stairs, and participated in activities that brought him happiness and purpose. Today, those things have been taken away or greatly limited. He lives with ongoing pain, difficulty walking, and restrictions that affect nearly every aspect of his daily life. During this difficult period, my husband also developed a significant hamstring hematoma extending from his buttock to below his knee while receiving anticoagulation therapy. This resulted in a hospitalization and added another serious health challenge while he was already struggling with the unresolved knee problem. At that time, he had severe mobility limitations and significant anemia. We had concerns about whether all of his medical issues were being fully considered before discussing another procedure. The most painful part of this experience has been feeling that our concerns were not addressed when there was still an opportunity to intervene. We followed the recommended appointments, trusted the medical team, and gave the opportunity for concerns to be addressed within the healthcare system. We pursued a Patient Advocacy review because we hoped for an objective assessment and resolution. Their response was “the standard of care was met” and “Mitch recognized the maltracking,” yet no explanation why he did not intervene immediately. I am sharing our experience because patients need to know the importance of advocating for themselves and seeking additional opinions when something does not seem right. My husband’s life has been permanently changed, and our family continues to deal with the physical and emotional effects of this experience.

I would not recommend him to anyone. I regret not seeking out a more experienced surgeon.

He’s a nice guy but thanks to him I am three months into an injury and finally getting answers from a different doctor who was willing to do an MRI right away rather than wait six months to see if I still had pain. I could be nearly healed by now instead I am just getting a surgery date with an outlook of at least two more months off work.

Best decision I ever made was to have Dr. Silver do my knee replacement. His was knowledgeable and confident and quick to answer my every question. He was gentle, kind and genuinely caring. He was very, very pleased with the surgery and so was I. About a week after the surgery I was walking without walker or cane. A couple days more and I was walking up my stairs using both legs. My husband is thrilled to see this and we owe it all to this highly skilled young surgeon.