Hip joint replacement at PPG hospital
Discussion
Back last year quite a bit of left leg pain which I thought was a pulled muscle etc. Xray showed deterioration of the hip joints especially on the left side. Next NHS step is physiotherapy so went through that and eventually I was assessed for a joint replacement, which was carried out at the Practice Plus Group hospital in Shepton Mallet. I’d been given a choice of 3 hospitals but was reliably informed that SM would be the least waiting.
After a couple of assessment visits I was offered a date 2 weeks ahead. Quicker than I’d expected. Had it done last Monday, spinal anaesthetic but sedation first which was fine. Two nights stay due to some blood loss during the op, most go after one night. Lent a pair of crutches to use at home and given a paper bag full of painkillers and other medications.
Staff were brilliant, helpful and quick to see what was needed, so much so I will be writing to their head office to compliment them.
I read negative stuff about the NHS from time to time but there’s no complaints here
After a couple of assessment visits I was offered a date 2 weeks ahead. Quicker than I’d expected. Had it done last Monday, spinal anaesthetic but sedation first which was fine. Two nights stay due to some blood loss during the op, most go after one night. Lent a pair of crutches to use at home and given a paper bag full of painkillers and other medications.
Staff were brilliant, helpful and quick to see what was needed, so much so I will be writing to their head office to compliment them.
I read negative stuff about the NHS from time to time but there’s no complaints here
I've had a number of procedures on my hip over the years but finally degraded to a point that was impacting day to day life (I sold my Exige and everything!) that I could no longer ignore. After an 8 week wait to get a appointment with my Dr, a referral was wade to the musculoskeletal unit at my local hospital.
The last time I enquired on progress, I was told that I was waiting to be put on the list to see somebody, no date given of course, just confirmation that my name was on a list so that I could be put on another list to see somebody to discuss my hip.
During this time and due to the huge amounts of discomfort I was in, I paid to see a consultant, was x-rayed then sat with consultant, given diagnosis and options.
Last week I received an automated text from the NHS apologising for the length of time I have been waiting and that some people do recover in this time and no longer need an appointment so could I confirm whether I need to continue or not. I have said that I no longer need to see anybody but this is because having been on a list for nearly 10 month 'JUST' to get an appointment, I gave up and went private and now 6 weeks in to my recovery.
While I agree that the service from the NHS, in my experience, has always been amazing, getting access to the service has been the bit that I've struggled with hence why I just gave up.
The last time I enquired on progress, I was told that I was waiting to be put on the list to see somebody, no date given of course, just confirmation that my name was on a list so that I could be put on another list to see somebody to discuss my hip.
During this time and due to the huge amounts of discomfort I was in, I paid to see a consultant, was x-rayed then sat with consultant, given diagnosis and options.
Last week I received an automated text from the NHS apologising for the length of time I have been waiting and that some people do recover in this time and no longer need an appointment so could I confirm whether I need to continue or not. I have said that I no longer need to see anybody but this is because having been on a list for nearly 10 month 'JUST' to get an appointment, I gave up and went private and now 6 weeks in to my recovery.
While I agree that the service from the NHS, in my experience, has always been amazing, getting access to the service has been the bit that I've struggled with hence why I just gave up.
I'm glad you are happy, hip replacement (a British invention) is a modern miracle.
Your pathway and treatment is an example of "money follows patient" and you have had your surgery physically outside of the NHS in a private hospital.
This is increasingly common and a good idea, capacity to perform these High Volume Low Complexity HVLC operations is the issue. Anybody who comments about privatisation of the NHS doesn't see the value of capacity outsourcing in a fixed estate.
If we built lots of new operating theatres, this would be even better, but the government hasn't got the money for capital projects, so we outsource.
Your pathway and treatment is an example of "money follows patient" and you have had your surgery physically outside of the NHS in a private hospital.
This is increasingly common and a good idea, capacity to perform these High Volume Low Complexity HVLC operations is the issue. Anybody who comments about privatisation of the NHS doesn't see the value of capacity outsourcing in a fixed estate.
If we built lots of new operating theatres, this would be even better, but the government hasn't got the money for capital projects, so we outsource.
Infections supposedly very rare but have heard of a few. A friend was very poorly, spent 2 months in various hospitals, doctors couldn’t work out what was wrong with him and eventually needed a major heart operation, replacement of knee parts etc. Turned out to have started from an infection in a crown in his mouth! Nothing to do with the successful knee replacement, but an infection that made its way into the joint.
In My case they took out the replacement joint, removed all the infected material, filled the site with antibiotics (and a new joint of course) then put me on intravenous antibiotics for 2 weeks, at the end of which my kidneys had pretty much shut down.
So I was transferred to the specialist renal unit in Exeter, where I spent another 3 weeks having dialysis etc. It was shame that it happened, nobody's fault, some previously unknown weakness in my kidneys set off by the strong antibiotics.
I must say the NHS looked after me very well, my treatment must have cost them tens of thousands.
So I was transferred to the specialist renal unit in Exeter, where I spent another 3 weeks having dialysis etc. It was shame that it happened, nobody's fault, some previously unknown weakness in my kidneys set off by the strong antibiotics.
I must say the NHS looked after me very well, my treatment must have cost them tens of thousands.
Phooey said:
Infections supposedly very rare but have heard of a few. A friend was very poorly, spent 2 months in various hospitals, doctors couldn’t work out what was wrong with him and eventually needed a major heart operation, replacement of knee parts etc. Turned out to have started from an infection in a crown in his mouth! Nothing to do with the successful knee replacement, but an infection that made its way into the joint.
Sadly not very rare. Quoted around 1-2 in 200 replacements get infected. There are 180,000 new hip and knee replacements performed per year in the UK. So ballpark 1800 people get a new infected joint per year.
Ballpark figure for the treatment: 40-80,000 GBP.
Edited by The_Doc on Saturday 16th August 08:51
The_Doc said:
Sadly not very rare. Quoted around 1-2 in 200 REPLACEMENTS get infected.
There are 180,000 new hip and knee replacements performed per year in the UK. So ballpark 1800 people get a new infected joint per year.
Ballpark figure for the treatment: 40-80,000 GBP.
Wow. Major cost for the NHS but also major trauma for the patient - especially if they are young and wanting to gain maximum life out of their primary replacement. Not sure if true... a MSK specialist told me a hip/knee joint can only take 3 replacements (1x primary and 2 revisions)?There are 180,000 new hip and knee replacements performed per year in the UK. So ballpark 1800 people get a new infected joint per year.
Ballpark figure for the treatment: 40-80,000 GBP.
That's wrong. You can do as many joint replacements as the bone stock will take. You are running out of good bone by 3/4, but that's why we sometimes start with a bone preserving option if you are starting early (Eg 50s)
The national data (The NJR) shows that in the UK only 7% of hip and knee replecemts get redone after 17 or so years of use. These slightly strange numbers (why 17 yrs?) are a product of the stats. There are 4 million patient files in the NJR, it is rapidly becoming the most powerful source of surgical data in the world, far better than what the yanks have, and it's British.
TLDR: If you have a 1st hip or knee replacement in your sixties, you are overwhelmingly likely to perish before it does.
But satisfaction for hip replacement is only 90% and maybe 85-90% for knees. Plenty of people who have one in, aren't really totally happy with it, but don't want it redoing.
And similarly I have hundreds and hundreds of patients who are delighted and out of pain.
The national data (The NJR) shows that in the UK only 7% of hip and knee replecemts get redone after 17 or so years of use. These slightly strange numbers (why 17 yrs?) are a product of the stats. There are 4 million patient files in the NJR, it is rapidly becoming the most powerful source of surgical data in the world, far better than what the yanks have, and it's British.
TLDR: If you have a 1st hip or knee replacement in your sixties, you are overwhelmingly likely to perish before it does.
But satisfaction for hip replacement is only 90% and maybe 85-90% for knees. Plenty of people who have one in, aren't really totally happy with it, but don't want it redoing.
And similarly I have hundreds and hundreds of patients who are delighted and out of pain.
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