You bend over to tie your shoelaces to go for a run – and then it happens. Pain shoots through your hip. You pause, exhaling, before slowly tying the laces and standing up. You are frustrated that completing this small task hurts, and makes you feel older than your years. A situation like this can happen in a blink and North York General Hospital (NYGH) is here for you during these moments.
You bend over to tie your shoelaces to go for a run – and then it happens. Pain shoots through your hip. You pause, exhaling, before slowly tying the laces and standing up. You are frustrated that completing this small task hurts, and makes you feel older than your years. A situation like this can happen in a blink and North York General Hospital (NYGH) is here for you during these moments.
Orthopaedic surgery can be life-changing. This transformation is what motivates Dr. Frank Mastrogiacomo, Head of the Orthopaedic Surgery Program at North York General Hospital (NYGH), to provide outstanding care to his patients. As Dr. Mastrogiacomo sees it, his work as a surgeon is more than replacing a hip or repairing a knee ligament. It’s about being able to give patients their lives back.
“Whenever I operate, the goal is always to enable the patient to get back to whatever they want to do in life, whether that means playing hockey three times a week with their friends, or simply walking to the corner store without pain.”
Dr. Frank Mastrogiacomo
Dr. Mastrogiacomo has deep ties to North York General Hospital, and when the opportunity arose to work here in 2017, he couldn’t pass it up. Taking a moment, he remembers some of his own defining moments at NYGH: he completed a residency rotation here; his first child – a daughter – was born at the hospital; his wife received fertility treatment at NYGH to help expand their family. They have triplets! And he’s now celebrating seven years of working here with amazing colleagues.
While Dr. Mastrogiacomo specializes in hip and knee surgery, the Orthopaedic surgeons at NYGH have different expertise, which means they can treat many areas of the body – from shoulders and elbows to feet and ankles. The Program provides surgical services for people at every age and stage.
Every day brings a different challenge for the highly skilled team. They are constantly striving to improve patient care, and that includes leveraging advanced technology.
Dr. Mastrogiacomo excitedly mentions that the Orthopaedic Program has a state-of-the-art robot, which the team uses for total knee replacements. Teams from other areas of hospital sometimes slip into the Orthopaedic area to admire the robot. With robotic assisted surgery, patients experience less pain, faster healing and better outcomes in restoring knee alignment and function.
But what it all comes down to for Dr. Mastrogiacomo is the positive change he can bring to patients’ lives. It warms his heart to hear his patients express gratitude when they experience a positive health outcome.
“Dr. Frank Mastrogiacomo, you are the best in every sense of the word. I am lucky to be under your care. You are an awesome guy and a real mensch. Thank you.”
A grateful patient
Whether it’s a transit operator being able to return to work, or a grandparent being able to play with her grandchildren or a runner being able to get back on the trail, Dr. Mastrogiacomo is here for all it.
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