Celebrating 15 years of leading-edge hip & knee surgery

Elderly couple overlooking a scenic view

Once every step became unbearable, Marnie Donaldson knew it was time to find help for her troubling knee.

“I couldn’t do anything anymore—I couldn’t play golf or even go for walks,” shares Marnie. “Every step was painful.”

Marnie did what most people do when looking for information on where to find help—she asked her friends.

“Two very good friends of mine had double knee replacement surgeries and their recovery was amazing and inspiring,” says Marnie. “They told me that they had their surgeries done at NYGH, and I was living nearby at the time, so that’s where I decided to go.”

Marnie needed a knee replacement surgery and this was completed at NYGH’s Total Joint Assessment Centre (TJAC), and she was thrilled with the results and her recovery.  

“From before my operation to after, the support I received from my surgeon, Dr. Mehdian, and the entire TJAC team was wonderful,” says Marnie. “And I was so happy I could receive this level of care right in my community.”

Leading-edge care in North York

Like Marnie, many patients prefer not to have to travel to downtown Toronto for specialized procedures such as hip and knee replacements that often require follow-up and rehabilitation.

TJAC’s diverse team of expert orthopaedic clinicians care for patients every step of the way, and this year the centre celebrates 15 years of delivering excellent results and quality of care to patients.

TJAC is constantly innovating, offering new and evidence-informed approaches to surgical and non-surgical interventions.

For patients who are eligible, a recent innovation is TJAC’s same-day knee replacement surgery, where patients return home the same day as their surgical procedure. 

“We’ve had excellent feedback from patients who have gone home the same day with a nerve-block catheter,” says Dr. Kevin McKeown, Anesthesiologist with the Centre. “The catheter continues to deliver pain relief right where it is needed, and this allows us to discharge patients sooner and even reduce their use of prescription pain killers.”

Enhancing the patient experience

At TJAC, patients are welcomed by a professional patient navigator, who guides and supports them from assessment through to recovery. 

A comprehensive assessment is completed with every patient—providing the TJAC team with physical, social and lifestyle information that ensures the patient’s preferences and needs are at the centre of their care.

“After the surgery, we moved to the country and the patient navigator was able to arrange a physiotherapist for me close to our new home,” says Marnie. “I was so pleased they could do this for me.”

Elderly Couple in front of scenic view

Marnie also shared that speaking to TJAC professionals helped put her at ease and took away any nervousness she felt about pain and her recovery. “Follow-up from the team was terrific, and there really was minimal pain,” she says.

For patients who have surgery like Marnie, they are also supported by a specialized pain nurse who connects with each patient and ensures that their pain and discomfort is minimized.

Marnie was so happy with the results of her surgery that, in honour of Dr. Mehdian and the entire team at TJAC, she and her husband Robert decided to donate to NYGH from their family foundation.

Marnie hopes her story will encourage people looking for treatment to consider TJAC for their hip or knee assessment and care—an amazing centre celebrating 15 years of outstanding service to North York and surrounding communities.

“I had excellent, world-class treatment from beginning to end,” says Marnie. “Everyone was so positive and they made me feel so comfortable—and without the knee pain, I’m like a different person now,” she says. 

This article first appeared in the September 2021 issue of The Pulse.

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