Clinic Clinique orthopédique Duval in Laval

What an awesome experience. From my arrival at the clinic on August 15th, till the morning of departure, I couldn’t have imagined the professional care, attention, and compassion that I was to receive. Drs Duval, Lavoie, David, as well as all the staff, instilled nothing but total confidence by their expertise and care. The post surgical instructions, and personal follow up by staff and my surgeon Dr Duval, made the total experience one that I would highly recommend. I only wish that I had escaped the long wait time, and excruciating pain much sooner.

I am sharing my ordeal experience with the Duval orthopaedic clinic and my current situation. At the time of my surgery, I was 75 years old residing in Ottawa. Canada. In August of 2020 I contacted the clinic for right hip replacement surgery, as Ontario orthopedic surgeons were not performing such surgeries in foreseeable future due to Covid. After paying consultation fees, I was given an appointment for September 17, 2020, with a new doctor, Dr. Martinez, with exceptional credentials who just joined the team. Dr. Martinez evaluated my health state and needs. I left the clinic with an estimate for the surgery and a description as follows: Right hip replacement (Anterior Approach) by Dr. Martinez etc. I also was scheduled for a pre-operative exam with a general practitioner and a physiotherapist for October 21, 2020. After arriving at the clinic at 10 am and finishing all pre-ops I was asked to make a $1000 deposit to schedule the surgery date. At this point, the administrator asked me which doctor I would choose for scheduling. I responded in surprise, with Dr. Martinez of cause. The administrator informed me Dr. Martinez was not working here anymore. My response was why I was not informed before I travelled to Duval Clinic from Ottawa. She had no reasonable explanation and I was sent to talk to the clinic owner Dr. N. Duval. He simply stated either I can go back home and wait 2 years in Ottawa or get an operation with world renowned doctor Martin Lavigne within a couple of weeks and forget all issues I ever had. My answer was, but the doctor you are suggesting has not consulted with me yet. Dr. Duval replied, Dr. Lavigne will do it before surgery. I asked Dr. Duval, does Dr. Lavigne use the Anterior approach during surgery. He said no and gave me an article that stated supposedly both anterior and posterior surgical approaches are the same in results and aftercare. Of cause, I had no time to evaluate the article on the spot. Dr. Duval continuously repeated, you either go back home and wait for two years or get healthy within a couple of weeks after surgery. I took his argument of being healthy as most important, paid the deposit and scheduled surgery on November 23, 2020. I arrived at the clinic early in the morning, changed into surgical gown and was processed by nurses. A spinal anesthetic was introduced, and someone took me to surgery. No consultation or even any discussion about surgery, my specific case or possible effects of surgery was discussed with Dr. Lavigne. He simply looked at the X-rays of my hip, surgery started and finished shortly. He said after I woke up from anesthesia, everything went well. However, after recovery from spinal anaesthesia I could not pull up my right leg without the help of a towel. Standard set of medicine was applied without adjustment for individual parameters. Every approach of this clinic felt like you are on a conveyor. After 3 days of physiotherapy, taking some medication which was satisfactory and declining others as I had reactions to them, I finally returned home and started doing everything as prescribed to become healthy again, exercises, walking etc. 3-4 weeks after surgery I was not walking well and still had pain in the groin. I asked a very experienced physiotherapist to investigate this issue. She immediately diagnosed differences in the length of the operated right leg of 9.5 mm against the left leg. This was a great surprise to me. No one ever explained to me the possibility of such an outcome. When I investigated hip replacement surgeries, every doctor was showing and using measurement devices to make sure both legs are the same length. The Duval clinic probably either does not use such measurement techniques or does not care to use it on a 75 years old patient. Discussing this issue between myself, Dr. Levigne and the physiotherapist could not change anything. Almost two years later, I still have pain in my groin, spent thousands of dollars on orthotics and cannot freely walk like most people walk or run after a hip replacement surgery.

The Total Hip Replacement at the Duval Orthopedic Clinic was the best decision I made. My initial consultation with Dr. Vendittoli was on September 24, 2021 at which time I decided to proceed with the surgery. The information provided, before and, during surgery was excellent, including a provision of a manual which also outlined the importance of pre-op exercises. My surgery was performed on October 8, 2021 and I was discharged by October 10 with the ability to walk with just a cane. The ERAS (Early Recovery After Surgery) program developed by Dr. Vendittoli and his team is amazing and hopefully will be adopted by ALL public hospitals. All the staff at the clinic were exemplary during the entire procedure. Best of all, I never experienced any pain whatsoever post surgery, no longer limp, and am able to resume my daily activities. Post surgery physiotherapy is an important factor in recovery. Thank you to Dr. Vendittoli and all his team! June 6, 2022 Further to my first review of a Total Hip Replacement (left side), which was performed on October 08, 2021, I am adding a second review for the Total Hip Replacement (right side) performed on May 19, 2022. The initial review stated that the left side hip replacement (October 08, 2021) was the best decision I made. The right side hip replacement (May 19,2022) was the second best decision I made. For the right side hip replacement, once again and as previously experienced, all the excellent and important preoperative information procedures were clearly explained. On the day of my surgery, the anesthesiologist's technique of performing a spinal block (most recent technology) vs. an epidural (for 1st surgery) was truly incredible. I did not even realize that the spinal was completed so efficiently and painlessly. The advantage of the spinal block allowed me to recover extremely quickly and within a fraction of an hour in recovery, I was transferred back to my room. Dr. Vendittoli, who also performed my first surgery, has an excellent reputation for a very good reason! My incision was only a few inches long and I am amazed at how the procedure may be performed within such a small incision. A few hours post surgery, the physiotherapy team had me up to begin the initial exercises. Wow, I did not have ANY pain nor did I require any opioid painkillers at any time neither during my hospital stay nor at any time after my discharge. The following morning, physiotherapy continued my recovery exercises with the possibility of a discharge in the afternoon. I was now permitted to walk about with the aid of only a cane! Dr. Vendittoli, together with his team, assessed my speedy recovery and by mid afternoon I was given the green light for departure home, to where I would continue the very important post surgery physiotherapy exercises. As I had experienced during my first surgery, the entire staff at the Duval Orthopaedic Clinic were exemplary and it was a pleasure to be a patient in this facility! The CLSC provided physiotherapy sessions and nursing wound care, which was excellent at my recovery location. To be noted, these professionals were amazed at my recovery progress. During the first physio session (1 week post surgery) I was assessed as being at the third week post surgery recovery! Both professionals commented at the remarkable recovery difference they see between the private clinics, (in my instance, the Duval Orthopaedic Clinic) and the public system. This speedy recovery is thanks to Dr. Vendittoli and his team who developed the ERAS (Early Recovery After Surgery). Thank you Dr. Vendittoli and your entire team who made my two Total Hip Replacements such a remarkable success. I am able to resume my active life style quickly and painlessly!