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Dr. Donald Lee, MD

(377 Ratings)

Specializes in: Orthopedics/Orthopedic Surgery and Hand Surgery

West Virginia University School of Medicine (1982)

Professional interests include: shoulder surgery, replacement arthroplasty (joint replacement), finger pain, and more.

6002 Highway 100
Nashville, TN 37205

(615) 936-7846

Dr. Donald Lee, MD is an orthopedist in Nashville, TN specializing in orthopedics/orthopedic surgery and hand surgery. He graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1982 and has 43 years of experience. Dr. Donald Lee, MD is affiliated with Vanderbilt Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Ascension, Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown and Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital.

Office Locations

Address:

1215 21st Avenue South #3200
Nashville, TN 37232

Address:

3601 Tvc
Nashville, TN 37232

Address:

6002 Highway 100
Nashville, TN 37205

Some issues Dr. Donald Lee, MD can help you with:

Musculoskeletal Problems

The musculoskeletal system refers collectively to the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. It is what gives the body structure and movement. Because this system encompasses so much of the body, musculoskeletal problems are extremely varied and can happen almost anywhere. There are musculoskeletal problems that affect only the joints, those that affect the bones, those that affect tendons and ligaments, and those that can happen in any area of the body but cause pain and numbness.

Joint problems include bursitis and arthritis. Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac cushion on the outside of a joint, causing symptoms including pain and swelling. Arthritis is the inflammation and damage of a joint due to wear and tear or disease. There are several treatments for arthritis, but if the damage progresses far enough, joint replacement may be necessary. In joint replacement, a metal or plastic implant is surgically placed within the joint to make movement easier.

Bone problems include scoliosis, fractures, and osteoporosis. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine, making the normally straight spine look like a 'C' or 'S.' It is treated with braces or surgery. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to weaken and break easily. It's most common in women, especially older women. Fully half of all women over 65 have osteoporosis. Fractures are any break in the bone. They can be a simple crack or a severe and complicated shatter. Osteoporosis causes fractures in people who have it, but other causes are trauma (such as a fall) or overuse.

Tendon and ligament problems most often result from injury or overuse. Two good examples are ligament tears and tendonitis. The most common ligament tear is the ACL tear in the knee. This ligament supports and stabilizes the knee and is most often torn during sports activities. Tendonitis happens when a tendon, which connects muscles and bones together, becomes irritated and inflamed. This happens most often in older patients who push their bodies too far, leading to pain and swelling. Treatment for both tendon and ligament problems usually includes rest, ice, and supporting the area to let it heal.

Pain and numbness problems can be caused by overuse, disease, an injury, or a compressed nerve. Lower back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome are two of the most common conditions patients encounter. Lower back pain may be caused by sore muscles that have been overworked, or an injury to the disks separating the vertebrae in the spine. Lower back pain usually goes away on its own within a few days, but it may require medical treatment depending on the cause. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve at the base of the palm becomes trapped or pinched. Symptoms include tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in the hand. Treatment involves rest and sometimes steroid injections.

Because the musculoskeletal system involves so much of the body, problems here can be incredibly varied in their type and severity. Some musculoskeletal problems will go away on their own or only require rest, while others may require medication, physical therapy, or even surgery.

Replacement Arthroplasty (Joint Replacement)

Joint replacement, sometimes also called arthroplasty, is an option when a joint becomes severely damaged by disease or injury. The damaged cartilage of the joint is surgically removed, the ends of the bones in the joint are resurfaced, and a prosthetic is installed. Most prosthetic joints are made of a metal piece that fits into a plastic sleeve so that they glide smoothly. A joint replacement increases stability in the damaged area and decreases pain. The hip and knee are the two joints most commonly replaced, but joint replacement can also be performed on the ankle, shoulder, elbow and even fingers.

Although joint replacement is one of the safest and most reliable medical procedures available, it is still a major surgical procedure. All surgical procedures carry risks, such as infection or blood clots. For this reason, doctors try to help their patients avoid surgery for as long as they can. Taking arthritis medications, losing weight, avoiding high impact sports such as running, taking supplements such as glucosamine or chondroitin, or having joint injections may allow a patient to enjoy life without the need for surgery.

After having joint replacement surgery, patients can expect some pain the first few days as they recover. Physical therapy is an important part of recovery, and it can decrease complications and increase future mobility. As soon as possible, returning to low impact sports such as swimming, walking or biking can stretch and heal the new joint. A prosthetic joint can last 15 - 20 years and cannot be further damaged by degenerative diseases such as arthritis, so once it is done patients should be pain-free for many years.

In The News

“Soon after, the group provided the charity in the states, said Dr. Don Lee, a surgeon at Vanderbilt University and volunteer for the program in Nashville.”—"Need hand surgery? Allentown doctors offering free operations to veterans and uninsured", The Morning Call, September 2019

decompression surgery	19
doctor visit	351
nerve procedures	19
open surgery	19
upper extremity surgery	18

**Gender**
Male	124
Female	146

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	242
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	117
From 75 to 84	56
85 and over	17
Less than 65	80

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	46
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	27
Dementia	4
Cancer	10

decompression surgery	16
doctor visit	318
hospital care	12
injections	18
inpatient care	12
nerve procedures	16
open surgery	16
upper extremity surgery	15

**Gender**
Male	111
Female	148

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	229
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	108
From 75 to 84	62
85 and over	21
Less than 65	68

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	51
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	27
Dementia	5
Cancer	7

decompression surgery	26
doctor visit	375
hospital care	19
injections	20
inpatient care	19
nerve procedures	26
open surgery	26
tendon surgery	20
upper extremity surgery	46

**Gender**
Male	296
Female	288

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	518
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	228
From 75 to 84	156
85 and over	32
Less than 65	168

Hypertension	72
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	35
Dementia	8
Cancer	7

aspiration	10
decompression surgery	24
doctor visit	329
hospital care	14
injections	36
inpatient care	14
nerve procedures	24
open surgery	24
upper extremity surgery	23

**Gender**
Male	97
Female	149

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	217
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	108
From 75 to 84	55
85 and over	13
Less than 65	70

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	41
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	22
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	28
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	35
Dementia	9
Cancer	9

aspiration	15
decompression surgery	28
doctor visit	332
injections	35
nerve procedures	28
open surgery	28
upper extremity surgery	27

**Gender**
Male	110
Female	142

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	207
Black	31
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	115
From 75 to 84	54
85 and over	17
Less than 65	66

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	41
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	30
Dementia	8
Cancer	8

decompression surgery	13
doctor visit	299
injections	16
nerve procedures	13
open surgery	13
upper extremity surgery	12

**Gender**
Male	98
Female	119

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	175
Black	30
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	104
From 75 to 84	47
85 and over	14
Less than 65	52

Hypertension	71
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	38
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	38
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	20
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	34
Dementia	11
Cancer	13

decompression surgery	23
doctor visit	345
hospital care	10
injections	27
inpatient care	10
nerve procedures	23
open surgery	23
upper extremity surgery	22

**Gender**
Male	93
Female	157

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	204
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	113
From 75 to 84	50
85 and over	21
Less than 65	66

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	53
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	42
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	33
Dementia	12
Cancer	10

doctor visit	301
injections	25

**Gender**
Male	101
Female	126

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	187
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	110
From 75 to 84	57
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	58
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	26
Dementia	7
Cancer	11

decompression surgery	27
doctor visit	711
injections	67
nerve procedures	27
open surgery	27
tendon surgery	19
upper extremity surgery	46

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Donald Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Donald Lee, MD treated as an orthopedist in Nashville, TN were injections, upper extremity surgery, nerve procedures and open surgery.

aspiration	12
decompression surgery	22
doctor visit	375
hospital care	13
injections	31
inpatient care	13
nerve procedures	22
open surgery	22
tendon surgery	19
upper extremity surgery	26

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Donald Lee, MD.

**Gender**
Female	127
Male	103

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	6
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	197
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	13
75 to 84	53
Less than 65	57
65 to 74	100

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Donald Lee, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Donald Lee, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	56
High Cholesterol	41
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	7
Osteoporosis	7
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	24
Atrial Fibrillation	8
Cancer	7
Dementia	6

Education & Training

Dr. Donald Lee, MD graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1982. He completed residency at George Washington University Medical Center. He is certified by the Orthopaedic Surgery - American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has a state license in Tennessee.

Medical School: West Virginia University School of Medicine (1982)

Residency: George Washington University Medical Center

Board Certification: Orthopaedic Surgery - American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (1991)

Licensed In: Tennessee

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Donald Lee, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Vanderbilt Health

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC)

Ascension

Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown

Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Donald Lee, MD has a high overall rating with an average of 4.49 out of 5 stars based on 377 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Donald Lee, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Nashville, TN.

4.49

Overall Rating

(377 Ratings)

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Donald Lee, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.	$495,496 Alps Plates and Instruments $286,648	NexGen $97,348	A.L.P.S. $51,825	Extremities $20,430	DVR Crosslock Plates/Screws/Pegs $13,298	Other $25,947
Biomet Orthopedics, LLC	$133,350 Extremities $132,932	Ortho-Hips $419
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.	$13,803 XIAFLEX $13,803
Biomet Trauma, LLC	$8,106 Trauma $7,326	SET - TRAUMA $779
Pharmaceutical Business Consultants Limited	$400 $400
Other	$422 NERVE CUFF $147	Recon-Upper Extremity Metal $123	Hand Fracture System $50	Tymlos $49	XIAFLEX $32	Other $20

**Types of Payments**
Royalty or License	$588,620
Consulting Fee	$52,595
Travel and Lodging	$6,550
Food and Beverage	$3,220
Honoraria	$400
Other	$192

Research Payments

Dr. Donald Lee, MD has received 8 research payments totaling $2,900.

Biography

Dr. Donald Lee specializes in hand surgery and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery. His areas of expertise include the following: wrist pain, hand pain, and shoulder injury. The average patient rating for Dr. Lee is 4.5 stars (out of 5). He studied medicine at West Virginia University School of Medicine. For his residency, Dr. Lee trained at George Washington University Medical Center. His professional affiliations include Ascension and Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.