Robotic unicompartmental knee replacement surgery: Colin's story

Meet Colin Mizon

Colin is a 57-year-old professional specialist wall and floor tiler from Hertfordshire.

After decades of playing all kinds of sport and living a highly active, nonstop lifestyle (football, snow skiing, squash - you name it), Colin developed severe problems with his meniscus due to overuse and wear and tear, also known as osteoarthritis.

Your meniscus are two C-shaped pieces of soft cartilage found on each side of your knee. They protect your upper and lower legs from impact and help stabilise your knee joints. Osteoarthritis occurs when the smooth cartilage that protects your joints from damage breaks down, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints. Colin's love of sport, including playing football, as well as his career in tiling (which required a lot of physical activity), caused the breakdown of cartilage in his knees. He says: "I have always been active. I played football three times a week for years, and I've always cycled, snow skied, and played squash and tennis."

Colin had an operation on each knee at the age of 49 to manage his symptoms and regain his mobility. Within years the pain in his knees had returned and was worse than ever before:

"I was in exceptional pain for a long time. For years I was taking a lot of very strong painkillers to be able to sleep at night. I literally needed painkillers to manage my entire life and trick myself into thinking I wasn't in excruciating pain."

Having treatment at Bath Clinic

Colin tried as many treatment options as possible to manage the increasing pain in his knees before having knee replacement surgery. His doctor became very concerned about his condition, as X-Rays showed that the breakdown of cartilage in his knees was significant. By this point, Colin's life had been dramatically impacted by constant pain and limited movement in his legs.

"You wouldn't believe how much it affected my daily life," says Colin. "I stopped being able to do my job properly, and I couldn't run or play sport. Can you imagine the pain? The X-Rays showed how bad my knees were. The bottom part of my bone was grinding on the top and had grooved out a hole".

Colin's physiotherapist told him about robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery offered at Bath Clinic. After discovering more about the incredible benefits of having Mako® robotic surgery, including a faster recovery time and far greater precision and accuracy, Colin decided it was the best treatment option for him. He met with orthopaedic surgeon Mr Neil Bradbury, who further reassured him that the surgery would help significantly reduce his pain and was the best option for him. Colin opted to pay for the treatment himself.

Everything you need to know about robotic-assisted surgery

What happens during robotic knee replacement surgery?

During knee replacement surgery, your consultant will replace your damaged knee with artificial components (also known as prosthesis).

If you're considering a knee replacement, the Mako® robotic-arm assisted surgical system could be the solution for you.

The idea of 'robot surgery' may sound daunting, but robotic knee replacement is still carried out by orthopaedic surgeons. The technology is there to aid doctors - not replace them - and is still guided by their hands.

In the case of knee replacement surgery, the technology allows for more accuracy and precision than traditional methods. Mako® is a robotic arm that works in tandem with your surgeon, combining innovative technology with the skills and expertise of your consultant. The system also uses a CT scan to build a customised 3D digital model of your knee to determine the right size and shape of implant for you.

Colin's team helped calm his nerves before surgery

Colin feels nervous when going into hospital, but his team of healthcare professionals led by Mr Bradbury helped reassure him every step of the way.

"I'm not great at going into hospital because it's going into the unknown," explains Colin. "But my knees were in so much pain and I just wanted to get better. Mr Bradbury and the team were so supportive and reassuring. My patient liaison officer also made things so easy for me - she set everything in place, like blood tests, scans, and a general health checkup. When everything is set up for you, it's so stress-free."

Colin was very impressed by how supported patients feel as soon as they enter Bath Clinic. He was greeted by his team who he describes as "lovely people", and told exactly what he could expect from surgery, including how he would be sedated and what would happen during surgery. Colin says: "Mr Bradbury gives you some time to reassure you and ensure you know everything."

The surgery was a huge success and Colin was looked after by his team as soon as he woke up.

"I was looked after continuously by staff after the surgery. You couldn't ask for more. From helping me eat and drink to getting me out of bed. At the beginning I had to wake up every two hours for medication. I would sit watching TV while nurses offered me tea and toast around-the-clock."

Recovering at home

Colin now follows a physiotherapy plan at home. He recently saw Mr Bradbury for his last appointment and is officially pain-free. He would recommend Mr Bradbury to anyone in his situation and is highly impressed by how informative and supportive he is as a consultant.

"The best part about life after surgery is being totally pain-free at night. I don't wake up in pain and I no longer need painkillers. It has been life changing."

To find out more about knee replacement surgery at Bath Clinic, call us or book an appointment online.