Twenty years ago, Nayana Vora, M.D., sought the advice of the founding medical director of the MemorialCare Joint Replacement Center at Long Beach Medical Center, Douglas Jackson, M.D. At this time, Nayana was diagnosed with chondromalacia, runner’s knee, where the cartilage under her kneecap was deteriorating and softening. This condition led to arthritis.
“Even with this diagnosis, I didn’t have any pain in my knee,” says Nayana. “I decided not to have joint replacement surgery since I wasn’t in any pain until 20 years later.”
Before Nayana left for a vacation to Utah, her right knee began giving her pain. She thought it was just a minor tweak that would go away. During her trip, she did some hiking and her pain levels rose. Nayana needed a cane to help her walk for the rest of her trip.
“When I got home, I received cortisone injections for the pain,” says Nayana. “It got better, but it didn’t completely disappear, so I decided to look into visiting an orthopedic surgeon.”
Nayana did her research and after two visits with other physicians, and a referral from her friend, she met with Andrew Wassef, M.D., medical director, MemorialCare Joint Replacement Center, Long Beach Medical Center.
“During my initial meeting with Dr. Wassef, he took his time and walked me through my options and was very friendly,” says Nayana.
The MemorialCare Joint Replacement Center at Long Beach Medical Center offers traditional replacement surgeries by skilled orthopedic surgeons, and delivers an unforgettable patient experience with high satisfaction rates and quality outcomes. Features include private patient rooms, a group therapy room, patient education, a pre-operative class and a Joint Care Coordinator. Patients recover and leave the hospital in an average of 1.10 days compared to the national average of 1.54.
On Sept. 14, Dr. Wassef performed a total knee replacement on Nayana using Mako™ Technology. Long Beach Medical Center offers Mako™ Robotic-Arm Assisted Total Knee, Partial Knee and Total Hip procedures. Mako™ provides a one-of-a-kind 3-D model of a patient’s anatomy to assist the surgeon in pre-planning the placement of knee and hip implants. When the surgeon prepares the bone for implant, the Mako™ Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System guides the surgeon within a pre-defined area to help provide an accurate and precise placement of the implant.
“Prior to surgery, we obtain a CT scan which gives us an individualized roadmap and surgical plan for the patient,” says Dr. Wassef. “We use the Mako™ robotic-arm intraoperatively to ensure that we get the perfect fit for each patient. This system helps patients have a strong, quick recovery and feel more natural as they get back to their daily lives.”
While she only stayed in the hospital for one night, Nayana was diligent about doing her rehabilitation exercises at home, and was even able to participate in the Team Spirit Long Beach Cancer Long Beach 5K on Sept. 26 – just 12 days after surgery.
“Walking was the best exercise for me,” says Nayana. “I walked 3,000 steps just two weeks after surgery, and I was feeling great and knew not to overdo it.”
Thanks to innovative therapies, Nayana was not only back to walking shortly after surgery, she also returned to her job as a radiation oncologist.
I’m grateful to Dr. Wassef and Long Beach Medical Center for such a great experience and helping me overcome my knee pain
Nayana Vora, M.D.