It’s been eight years since Delta Hospital got its very first orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Matthew Lewington, giving Delta residents close-to-home access to surgeries like ACL repairs, knee replacements and ankle repairs.
The community – and the demand for orthopedic surgery and care – has grown a lot over the past eight years. In 2023, Dr. Lewington alone performed 536 orthopedic surgeries, and sees up to 45 patients a day in his weekly Cast Clinic.
The local orthopedic team at Delta Hospital recently expanded, with Dr. Danny Gillis joining Dr. Lewington and bringing complementary expertise to Delta residents. Together, the two orthopedic surgeons want to expand the hospital's Orthopedic Surgical Care, providing a wider range of surgeries with less invasive techniques that let patients recover faster.
The addition of state-of-the-art equipment will let this team perform more complex surgeries with minimally invasive techniques. With tools like the Fibulock Nail System, for example, they can treat ankle fractures and have patients walking within two weeks, if not sooner.
"This is our opportunity to help an amazing orthopedic team do their best work and make our community healthier and stronger," says Lisa Hoglund, executive director of the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation.
"This new equipment unlocks the potential for more advanced surgeries, faster recoveries and shorter wait lists. It also eliminates the need to travel far to other hospitals, which can be particularly stressful for Delta’s seniors and their families," Hoglund adds, noting that many in the community are older than 65 and at a higher risk for orthopedic issues.
Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation’s Spring Wish List of desired items for orthopedic surgeries will also let Dr. Lewington, Dr. Gillis and their team collaborate on supporting patients with more complicated cases, such as repairing past knee surgeries, or more complex surgeries common with Delta's many young athletes.
The expertise to provide this specialized care in Delta is here, but more advanced equipment to do so effectively is needed, including:
- Bunionectomy – two at $17,500
- DynaNite Nitinol staple – two at $14,000
- Meniscal Root – two at $14,500
- Collateral Ligament – two at $10,000
- Ankle - Distal Tibial Set – one at $40,000
- Ankle - Fibulock Nail System – one at $46,000
“We want to serve this community. The funding that the community provides allows us to do that effectively and allows it to happen right here,” Dr. Gillis says.
Donate securely today to the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation's Orthopedic Surgical Care campaign, and help provide close-to-home care when it’s needed most. Learn more at dhchfoundation.ca
