Dr. Jonathan Ronald Berry, MD

Had Dr. Berry do my knee surgery with immediate pain, swelling, discoloration of leg and lumps of fluid the size of baseballs so went back to doc. Well Dr. told me it’s normal that leg was blue & lumpy & gave me a pain pill, then sent me to physical therapy. Couldn’t do PT due to ongoing pain & swelling problems of the same so went back to DR. who said it’s normal but at 3rd visit a family member came with me for support & insisted on Xray. Well it was bad news of an undetected infection destroying hardware, ligament and eating away holes in my bones. Three additional corrective surgeries later the pain spread from one leg throughout groin to the other leg and finally my entire body making me completely disabled & without a knee joint and stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of my life & living in pain.

Doctor Berry is not only an amazing doctor but also an Amazing person. I was immediately at ease with Doctor Berry and he scheduled my surgery very quickly. This is my second surgery and I would recommend him highly.

After a perfectly executed 10-hour lumbar fusion surgery, (L3-4 to S1)in 2013, when advised in 2014 that I needed a new knee joint I figured what could go wrong(?) So I scheduled the event, underwent the procedure and was discharged without incident... I recall “WALKING” from our car into the house unassisted on my new knee! I was ecstatic! I started my PT and conducted all exercises to the letter. At the 30-Day follow up, Dr. Berry remarked, “It is always nice to see patients that follow their PT regimen so well”. He was pleased at my progress to say the least. I recall singing his praises to anyone who would listen... Then, while in a PT session, my therapist asked me about the rather pink area on the interior side of my knee and asked if I had noticed it... I had asked her if she would check with Dr. Berry’s staff and see if it is anything we should be concerned with. On the next day I received word from my Therapist that according to Dr. Berry’s office, it was… typical and to expect it to clear up. Fast forward another two weeks... I woke up on a Saturday to take my son to his ice hockey game, by the time I was seated in the arena I began noticing a rather prominent pain in my knee. As the game went on it became worrisome so I decided to make my way out to the car in case it became worse... I’m guessing by now you can imagine where this is going... Following Tuesday I returned to Dr. Berry, who ordered X-ray and Sonogram to check that the joint looked good and there were no blood clots. Both reported to be negative for issues, per JRB. I was told to go home, get leg up, suspend PT and give it a couple of weeks to “settle down”. I did not make it through that week before the pain was “mind-bending”. Met with JRB again the following Tuesday. This time my wife and I experienced something a little different. Instead of the usual smiling, hand-shaking-greeting normally associated with a JRB greeting, he was busy scanning a report from the Radiologist who did the X-ray the week prior. Then he turned to my wife and I and said, “I’m just reading some notes left by the Radiologist that indicated a “Gassy” area surrounding the joint that needed additional attention. He then explained that he would need to do something rather unpleasant and tap my knee for a sample of synovial fluid... if it was the color of my favorite “Amber Beer” it was going to be all-good but if it had the consistency of a “strawberry milkshake” we were going to be in a spot of trouble! Needless to say, it resembled dairy product. I was sent home while it was cultured, but before I could get home, JRB called my cell to inform me I had a deep Streptococcus infection and ordered back to the hospital for intervention in three days. Now at this point, you and many others might say, a surgical infection is nothing that a Surgeon could be held to account for, I suppose in all fairness you would be right. But here is where I believe the “train departed the rail” Issue 1 If JRB had not been so dismissive about the pink irritation of the skin around my knee we could have gotten an early jump on this! Issue 2 In our opinion, if JRB had actually “read” the Radiologist report the week earlier, again we might have had the opportunity to arrest the problem! Issue 3 So as I am consulted about the procedure, JRB explains that he is simply going to open the leg up again, replace some plastics, irrigate and pack with antibiotics and stitch me up. I asked if he was again going to order a nerve block as he did for the initial surgery, to which he declared that I would not need it. So.... the next thing I know I am coming-to in post op in the most incomprehensible pain I have EVER experienced in my life!!!! It felt like my leg was filled with burning Napalm! It seems that JRB didn’t remember that he had ordered me to stop PT and failed to consider the potential for scar tissue to build up, which he had to cut through in order to complete the procedure, (no nerve block was needed, right?) He had to ask my infectious disease doctor if a post-surgery nerve block could be ordered, as if he was somehow unaware how things should be handled when the train begins to leave the track! JRB even had the audacity to comment to my wife, whilst I was screaming in agony back in post-op, that it appeared I had failed to maintain my PT and that forced him to cut out considerable scar tissue! Issue 4 So I am fitted with a PICC Line and put on two antibiotics and sent home, told everything should be OK as the infection is irradiated. Thirty days later no improvement! By this point, I have serious misgivings concerning JRB’s judgment in resolving this issue. Finally in exasperation, I reached out to Dr. Derek Orton, the Surgeon that did my back and appealed to him for a recommendation for my knee. He directed me to Dr. Joel Wallskog, (aka “The Fixer”) for a consult. One of the first questions Dr. Wallskog asked was how long I had been on IV antibiotics, to which I replied over 60 days or so His next question helped make my decision... “ Tell me what part of an aluminum amalgam prosthetic would derive any benefit from the IV antibiotics? I puzzled for a moment thinking it my be a trick question before arriving at the correct answer... NONE! From that point Dr. Wallskog handled the removal of my badly infected prosthetic knee and the subsequent revision surgery.... While I do not believe JRB is an incompetent Surgeon, I believe this... He is known among hospital staff as a “high-volume” operator... literally! When it comes to slamming in new parts, he’s probably as good as it gets! However, if the wheels begin to leave contact with the track you COULD be in for some pretty serious concern as that appears to be when JRB begins to experience difficulties in judgment and patient care

Had knee surgery, but something went wrong with my entire leg swelling, excruciating pain, discoloration, lumps of fluid so went back to dr. who said don’t worry it’s normal go home rest and elevate. Was unable to sleep due to such severe pain, swelling, so went back to dr. who took X-ray and said he needed to go back in to see what is going on inside. Had second surgery & afterwards had to worse pain spreading to other limbs & entire body aches so dr sent me to numerous types of therapies while I was never getting better, only more swelling, pain, discoloration, lumps or sacs of fluid. After three surgeries & over a dozen hospitalizations I’m permanently disabled & in pain for the rest of my life from a botched knee surgery. I trusted the dr. and my life was ruined from something going wrong with the surgery and the dr. not detecting the problems quickly enough.

Surgeries, great bedside manner, down to earth, recommend him to anyone needing surgery within his specialties

Dr. Berry is a nice guy but over-booked . He does NOT have the time to spend on patients that they need.Had some real issues with plantar fascitis. Was in horrible pain. Came to him and just said to do excercises. Came back again:Gave no help. I went to a new podiatrist . He gave me a cortisone shot and in 10 minutes fine after 2 mos. of excruciating pain.

I've had Dr. Berry for 2 knee surgeries. He's great in the office as well in the surgery facilities. I look forward to going to see him.