KSB Hospital’s Swanson earns second board certification

DIXON — After completing his doctor of podiatric medicine degree and finishing a three-year post-graduate residency in foot and ankle surgery at KSB Hospital in Dixon, Dr. Kyle Swanson has earned board certification in rearfoot/ankle reconstructive surgery.

His newest certification complements his recently completed certification in forefoot surgery.

“A minority of podiatric physicians obtain this certification,” KSB Foot and Ankle Residency Director Dr. Brandon Gumbiner said. “It represents the most complicated and involved cases a foot and ankle surgeon can perform. There are training programs where podiatrists don’t get the complexity of cases that we see here at KSB, or lack the professional experience to perform them. Dr. Swanson is the first graduate of the KSB Residency Program to attain this level of certification, and I am very proud of him!”

Swanson’s KSB surgical residency training was from 2016 to 2019, and he is currently finishing his fifth year post-residency.

“I learned from our outstanding attending physicians in both surgical and clinical settings,” Swanson said. “I’ve always wanted to work in and serve a rural community, and my training directly reflected this. I was extremely fortunate to continue my career as an attending physician at KSB after graduation, and I am grateful to be able to serve Dixon and our surrounding communities.”

The American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery Certification has two parts: forefoot surgery, which as the name implies, deals with problems in the front of the foot such as bunions, hammertoe and neuromas, while rearfoot/ankle surgery involves issues with the heel and ankle. Board certification in both means Swanson has the knowledge and experience to offer comprehensive foot and ankle surgical care involving elective and non-elective procedures, including trauma.

From the beginning of his career, Swanson wanted to pursue board certification in both areas. Given seven years to achieve certification after residency, forefoot certification must be achieved before rearfoot/ankle certification. The process includes logging surgical cases and once the number is obtained to apply, the ABFAS committee selects random cases for review. All documentation from the initial clinical visit to the final visit is required, along with imaging, labs, ancillary service information and a final discussion explaining if the patient’s goals and outcomes were met. The committee grades each case; board certification is awarded if a passing score is achieved.

“I wholeheartedly believe my training at KSB provided exactly what was needed to make this achievable,” Swanson said. “This offers our patients treatment for a wide variety of foot and ankle ailments and offers our current residents the opportunity to learn these surgical techniques. We are blessed to have an outstanding team of residents, and I enjoy teaching and assisting them in their own journey to becoming board-certified one day.”

Gumbiner also recently became a fellow of the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons. Gumbiner is one of about only 80 active fellows of the AENS in the United States. This title represents experience with peripheral nerve surgery and completion of 200 specific procedures with a review of 20 unique cases by the AENS Membership Board. It also requires fundamental nerve surgery, advanced nerve surgery and microsurgery courses.

“I am very honored,” Gumbiner said. “I am a life-long learner; something I try to impress on our residents in their training is that we must keep growing and learning throughout our careers. This means we provide the best and most up-to-date care to our patients and community.”

Partners Dr. Nathan Mauren and Swanson have also been trained in the procedures, taken the courses and are working towards fellowship. All KSB residents take the courses as part of their program curriculum.

“These procedures and surgeons are typically found in big cities or major universities,” Gumbiner said. “We can provide that care here at KSB. We aim to be Illinois’ best and most inclusive foot and ankle practice and a top podiatric residency program. Obtaining this fellowship status sets us apart, allows us to care for our patients, recognize pathology and improve our community’s ability to live their lives to the fullest.”

KSB currently offers surgical options for nerve releases of the lower extremity (when nerves get entrapped from trauma/injury, previous surgery, scar tissue, or biomechanical causes), nerve transfers or transections (to resolve underlying nerve damage), and nerve transfers for revisional surgery (due to chronic pain in the lower extremity).

Gumbiner is also board-certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery in foot and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery and the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. He is a Fellow Member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgery, the American Professional Wound Care Association, and now, the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons.