Joint Replacements and Minor Orthopaedic Surgery

Orthopaedic surgery is broadly concerned with the skeletal system (bones). Within our orthopaedic department, approximately 96% of all procedures (excluding hip and knee replacements) are undertaken as day cases. This is much higher than national NHS rates for these procedures (for further information please see the national statistical data warehouse of England of the care provided by NHS Hospitals and for NHS patients treated elsewhere: www.hesonline.nhs.uk).

Within our Orthopaedic department, we conduct:

• Primary Hip Replacements (un cemented)
• Primary Hip Replacements (cemented)
• Primary Knee Replacements
• Arthroscopies  
• Foot Procedures  
• Hand procedures
• Shoulder procedures 
• Other soft bone/ tissue 

Patients are kept in a hospital type of environment for as short a time as possible. The length of your hospital stay will vary depending on your treatment but you will not be sent home until your consultant, your physiotherapist and you feel comfortable. The ongoing average length of stay for both hips and knees is 4 days and only approximately 5% of patients require any community or ongoing physiotherapy care, due to the education programme and intensive physiotherapy support.

The fact that we achieve a below average length of stay is attributable to our patient-focused and flexible approach:

• Timely education and support
• Your appointment: your choice
• A one-stop assessment: you will see as necessary, the nurse, surgeon, physiotherapist, imaging and commence education during your appointment.  Furthermore, any equipment required will be ordered to ensure the least disruption to you prior to treatment.
• Quick recovery: innovative type and method of anaesthesia means movement is possible on day one following an individualized mobility target. 

These procedures are available at our Shepton Mallet, Emersons Green, Devizes and Cirencester NHS Treatment Centres.