Don’t let the grass grow under your patient’s feet!
"The problems with my right hip started about ten years ago, with a level of pain which increasingly prevented me from playing golf, skiing, walking the dog, and even mowing the lawn. I had appointments with several orthopaedic consultants and they all advised that, as the arthritis in the hip was minimal, it would not be appropriate to replace the hip. I continued to put up with the pain and discomfort until, most fortunately, I was advised to approach Mr Hugh Apthorp, FRCSOrth - one of the few consultants in the UK who performed arthroscopies of the hip. He cleaned away loose tissue around the ball and socket joint, using a keyhole procedure. This was a success until about six months ago, when the pain returned.
"Mr Apthorp then advised that the hip required total replacement and he subsequently performed a minimally invasive arthroplasty at the Spire Hospital, Hastings. He makes only a three inch incision for this keyhole operation, during which great care is taken to work around, rather than cut, muscle tissue, resulting in less bleeding, less pain and an amazingly rapid recovery. This technique, together with the use of epidural anaesthesia, ensured that I was able to get up and walk, with elbow crutches, about three hours after the operation. In a flash, after months of pain and suffering, I was experiencing absolutely no pain – almost a miracle!
"The day after operation, having practised stair walking, I was allowed to go home and progressed from crutches to walking with just a stick to unaided walking, within a week. I found the whole experience very impressive. I consider myself fortunate to have come under the care of Mr Apthorp and his thoroughly professional team. One hears of many different experiences and stories from those who have had more traditional hip replacements, with extended periods of impaired mobility, pain and bruising for weeks after surgery – while I was able, within a mere ten days, to get the mower out and ensure that the grass no longer grew under my feet!"
David Denne (patient)