“To go from having bone-on-bone pain to no pain is really quite lovely. How do you quantify that?”

— Claire M. | Ankle Surgery Patient

The first time Canadian resident Claire M. needed ankle surgery 10 years ago, the process took two years. Between travel time, follow-up appointments, and waiting to see subspecialists, too much time was wasted.

When you’re in pain, there’s no time for that, she had decided.

The second time Claire, now 60, needed ankle surgery, she went with UnaSource Surgery Center and Dr. Paul Fortin, and that made all the difference.

She chose the surgical center rather than a hospital in order to return home quickly, and even she was surprised with the results. She arrived at about 5:30 a.m. that day, and the surgery began shortly after 7 a.m. By 12:15 p.m., she was back in her garage.

Surgery is never fun, but it was relatively speaking a great experience, she said.

“Everybody was real attentive. Lots of people checking on me. Nice, private room. Just a top-notch facility,” she said, adding that she appreciated a follow-up call from a nurse a couple days later as well.

She wore a cast for about six weeks after the surgery, which took place in February 2019. After it was removed, she was able to move around relatively easily.

Today, the pain is gone, and Claire is beyond grateful that she made the decision she didAnk this time around.

Ankle Surgery with Dr. Paul Fortin, Orthopedic Surgeon

Dr. Paul Fortin specializes in orthopedic surgery and is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He received his medical degree from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, and completed his residency at the University of Michigan hospitals. Dr. Fortin has also completed advanced training in orthopedic foot and ankle through his fellowship at Union Memorial Hospital.

His clinical interests include disorders of the foot and ankle, lower extremity deformity correction, and surgical salvage of complex traumatic, congenital, and degenerative foot and ankle conditions.

Dr. Fortin is affiliated with William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, and he performs outpatient procedures at Oakland County’s premier surgical facility, UnaSource Surgery Center.

He can be reached at Oakland Orthopaedic Surgeons, a division of Michigan Orthopaedic Surgeons, located at 30575 Woodward Avenue, Suite 100, Royal Oak, MI 48073. The phone number is (248) 280-8550.