Hip arthritis is where cartilage in the hip joint wears down or is damaged, leaving the bone surfaces of the joint to grind together and become rough. This causes pain and stiffness, making it difficult to move the leg.

There are a number of different forms of hip arthritis, but they all involve a loss of cartilage in the hip joint and that eventually leads to bone rubbing on bone and destruction of the joint.

In people with hip osteoarthritis, walking and other motion that stresses the diseased hip cartilage usually increases pain and reduce a person’s ability to be active.  At the same time, reduced activity can weaken the muscles that control the hip joint, which may make it even more difficult to perform daily activities.

Because of the loss of the gliding surfaces of the bone, people with arthritis may feel as though their hip is stiff and their motion is reduced.  Sometimes people actually feel a sense of catching, snapping or clicking within the hip.

The pain is usually felt in the groin, but also may be felt on the side of the hip, the buttock and occasionally down into the knee.  Activities such as walking long distances, standing for long periods of time or climbing stairs puts stress on the hip that generally makes arthritis pain worse.

Knee osteoarthritis causes pain, stiffness, instability and a change in leg alignment.

Most people with advanced knee arthritis, in which the knee cartilage is worn away and the surface of the knee becomes pitted, eroded, and uneven will benefit from knee joint replacement.

Following knee joint replacement, most patients experience reduced or eliminated knee pain, increased ability to move and an overall improvement in their quality of life.

A revision of a hip replacement is generally more challenging than the initial operation.  It should not be regarded as or compared to “changing the tires on a car.”  The results of surgery and the durability of the revised hip replacement are less predictable than those of the primary operation.  With every revision surgery, there is some loss of muscular mass, bone, or both.  The duration of surgery is generally longer and the likelihood of complications higher than during the primary surgery.

During revision surgery, Mr Thompson may need to remove or exchange one or more parts of the hip replacement.  The parts that are not attached to the bone can be safely exchanged with minimal to no removal of the patient’s bone.

However, if the implants in contact with the bone need to be changed, some bone loss generally occurs.  In addition, some of the musculature around the hip will be lost, thus affecting the strength of the hip and the patient’s function after surgery.  The results of revision surgery are not as predictable as those of the primary surgery.

A knee revision may be necessary for anyone whose prosthetic knee implant fails due to injury or wear, or who gets an infection in the area around implant.  In elderly people who have a knee replacement, the artificial knee implants may last for life.  But in younger patients, especially those who maintain an active lifestyle, knee prostheses may eventually fail, requiring a second replacement later in life.

Some knee revisions may require the replacement of only one implant, while others require a complete exchange of all the prostheses that were implanted during the original knee replacement surgery (known as “revision total knee replacement”).  A complete revision of this type is a complex procedure that requires extensive preoperative planning, specialized implants and tools, prolonged operating times, and mastery of difficult surgical techniques.

With surgical release of the transverse carpal ligament, most patients have significant relief of pain, numbness, and tingling.  As long as treatment is administered early enough to preserve nerve function, the most obvious improvement in the patient is pain relief – particularly night-time symptoms.

Surgery involves releasing the transverse carpal ligament (the roof of the carpal tunnel) to allow more room for the median nerve.  It is a same-day procedure requiring local anaesthesia with and a small incision, usually taking 8-10 minutes to complete.  Recovery time for surgery depends on your occupation – desk-jobs may be 1-2 weeks whilst more physical occupations can take 6 weeks or more to return to.

The cause of Dupuytren’s is unknown, but evidence shows that it may run in families.  Risk factors include diabetes and people with Northern European heritage have a higher risk of getting Dupuytren’s.  Men develop Dupuytren’s more often than women, and most of these patients notice symptoms after age 50.  There is no cure, but there are effective treatments.  Many patients have the full function of their hand restored.

Needle aponeurotomy is a daycase treatment, which the patient receives an injection of local anaesthetic in the area with the Dupuytren’s cord.  Mr Thompson then takes a small needle and perforates the cord so it can snap, allowing the fingers to straighten.

More advanced disease requires more invasive surgery to excise the diseased tissue.  This is also a daycase procedure but requires a general anaesthetic.

Mr Thompson will gauge whether a patient should be treated with needle aponeurotomy or more formal surgery based on how serious the Dupuytren’s contracture is.

Platelets and the liquid plasma portion of the blood contain many factors that are essential for cell recruitment, multiplication and specialisation that are required for healing.  This is something that can be done at Mr Thompson’s rooms and takes around 20 minutes.

A blood sample is obtained from the patient and the blood is then put into a centrifuge that separates the blood into its many components.  PRP can then be collected and injected to the injured area.

Please ask if you are interested in this treatment and Mr Thompson can discuss if it is suitable for your condition.