August 2010
John Ashby, an active 63 year-old man, was experiencing sharp pain in his left knee last September during long walks, which subsequently worsened to the point where he couldn’t walk without pain.
Following a health assessment at Spire Cheshire Hospital, Mr Ashby went to see his GP and had X-rays that revealed severe arthritis in his left knee. He was recommended knee replacement surgery, but wasn’t keen to wait for four months for surgery through the NHS so was referred to see Mr Nikhil Pradhan at Spire Cheshire Hospital.
Mr Pradhan confirmed that knee replacement surgery was necessary and informed him of the Signature™ Knee procedure, a new treatment that was available that could potentially help him regain his mobility and improve the positioning of his knee implant compared to traditional surgery.
"The operation is less invasive than traditional surgery, and there is less risk of bone fracture, as there is no need for marker pins and surgical time is reduced. All these advantages have the potential to reduce the need for further surgery in the future,” says Mr Pradhan.
“In John’s case, he is still quite young and is keen to return to work quickly and minimise the need for further surgery. As the procedure can be performed under local anaesthetic, the recovery tends to be quicker and I encourage patients to be on their feet walking within hours of surgery. I like to ensure that my patients are completely independent when discharging them, which involves extensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation, with the patient walking unaided within a month.”
Mr Ashby commented “While I was slightly apprehensive at first about the treatment, I have complete confidence with Mr Pradhan and the staff at Spire Cheshire Hospital. They have given me hope that I will be able to enjoy my walks and my grandchildren’s company, without pain and fear of further incapacity.”
Click here to read Mr Ashby's experience of having the Signature™ Knee replacement