Mr Muthu Ganapathi

Professional profile

I completed my higher specialist training in orthopaedics in Wales and undertook a arthroplasty fellowship in Cardiff. I subsequently completed an advanced lower limb fellowship in Montreal, Canada and visited centres in Canada and U.S. before starting as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Bangor, North Wales.

Although I undertake general trauma work, my elective practice in both the NHS and the private sector is almost exclusively related to adult hip and knee problems. During my higher specialist training and subsequent fellowships I gained experience in various aspects of hip and knee related problems including primary and revision hip replacement, hip resurfacing, primary and revision knee replacement, partial knee replacement as well as hip arthroscopy and knee arthroscopy.

I am also trained in computer guided joint replacements and routinely use computer guidance while doing knee replacements. Computer guidance allows the surgeon to be very precise during joint replacements thus decreasing the chance of outliers (beyond the tolerance of the joint replacements) and decreases the chances of early joint replacement failure. In simple terms, computer guided surgery is similar to that of satellite navigation (GPS) used in cars. In GPS technology, the location of the car is identified by the signal received from the different GPS satellites by the GPS receiver in the car. Similarly, in computer guided joint replacements, special trackers which emit infrared signals are fixed to the bones and they act like satellites.

During my fellowship in Canada I also gained experience in managing hip impingement (which is increasingly considered to be a cause of hip pain in young adults often leading to hip arthritis at a younger age) using both arthroscopic and open surgery. I am one of the few surgeons offering this type of surgery in Wales.

I firmly believes in rapid recovery (accelerated rehabilitation) after both hip and knee replacements which can lead to early functional recovery and improved patient satisfaction. I employs various techniques including multi-modal pain control and minimally invasive and muscle sparing approach. I also offers Patient Specific Knee Replacement (Signature Knee, PSI Knee) at Spire Yale Hospital, Wrexham. This is a very recent technological advancement to improve the accuracy and match of the knee replacement to the individual patient's knee. Complex revision surgery (of both hip and knee replacements) is also becoming an increasing part of my practice and I employ up-to-date techniques which improve the outcomes for these difficult problems.

I have also been involved in a number of research projects which have been published and I have presented in a number of scientific journals and meetings. I have won various awards for my research work. I keep myself updated on recent advances by attending various CME sessions. I am also keen on teaching the next generation of surgeons as well as allied health professionals.

General Medical Council Number: C4557489

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