Mavis Parker, aged 81 from Sharlston, began to notice pain in her knee many years ago; however it wasn’t until 2013 when she had her right knee replaced that she realised how bad the pain in the left knee was.
She then sought advice from her GP surgery and decided to come to Spire Methley Park Hospital to see a consultant, as she had already been to the hospital in the past and had a very good experience.
Mavis says, “At my first consultation Mr Patko discussed my options. I had already undergone a hip replacement many years ago using a ‘long stemmed’ prosthesis, so he advised that this would make it difficult to use a generic knee and I would need a personalised knee.
“I was pleased about this, as initially I became very worried that due to my past history I would be unable to have a new knee and this would have been very difficult to live with long term.”
Following on from her initial consultation, Mavis then booked in for surgery with Mr Patko, an orthopaedic consultant who specialises in knee and hip replacement surgery.
She says, “My experience at Spire Methley Park Hospital was excellent. I had no problem with the operation, I didn’t suffer any after effects. All the staff were helpful and offered me lots of guidance on what to expect once I returned home.”
After Mavis returned home she had a nurse visit her to help dress the wound and had a physiotherapist for two weeks following the procedure. When she returned to hospital for her follow up appointment, Mr Patko was extremely pleased with the way she could bend her knee.
As a result of the operation, Mavis now feels better as she can now manage with a lot less pain relief and move up and down the stairs at home much quicker. She also attended her granddaughter’s wedding in April, which was a lot easier for her since her knee replacement.
Her advice for anyone considering personalised knee replacement surgery is: “Just go for it! It removes a lot of pain and the recovery period appears to be a lot less than that of the conventional knee replacement. The personalised knee has enabled me to be free from a lot of discomfort.”