Knee surgery

Knee pain is a common problem, often caused by a sports injury as well as general wear and tear, which is another name for osteoarthritis, and usually due to ageing.

Many knee injuries resolve themselves naturally over time, but if your symptoms continue to bother you, further investigation and treatment may be needed.

Similarly, if you are suffering from wear and tear in your knee and your symptoms are starting to limit your mobility, medical guidance and expert treatment can be helpful in keeping you active.

At The Alexandra Hospital, leading national and international Orthopaedic Consultant Surgeons provide treatment for all knee conditions, helping patients regain mobility and function.

Treatments available at The Alexandra include physiotherapy, cortisone injections and state-of-the-art surgery. In addition, biological therapies such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are available for knee conditions such as arthritis or tendinitis.

Your Consultant will advise you on all your options and how they will help you return to better health.

Many people who seek the help of an Orthopaedic Consultant Surgeon will not actually require knee surgery.

Instead, their symptoms can be managed and relieved using non-surgical treatments such as physiotherapy, pain relief medication, and joint injections. 

If your symptoms don’t respond to those treatments, you may need surgery.

Consultant Surgeons with national and international profiles make up our multidisciplinary team here at The Alexandra Hospital in Manchester, and as the largest private hospital outside London, we provide a full range of surgical treatments, including:

• Meniscus surgery. This is needed when a piece of cartilage within the knee joint becomes torn or damaged and needs repairing or removal.
• Ligament repair or reconstruction. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the ligament most often damaged in the knee. It connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone) and is one of the most common injuries representing 40% of all sports injuries in the UK.
• Knee osteotomy. Where a part of the shin bone or thigh bone is damaged where it joins the knee (usually due to osteoarthritis), a knee osteotomy is used to lengthen or shorten the bone. This is then reshaped to relieve any pressure on the cartilage.
• Patella realignment. The patella is realigned to ensure the knee runs smoothly again back and forth within the trochlea groove (a groove at the lower end of the thigh bone or femur).
• Total knee replacement (arthroplasty). When a knee joint is too damaged for less invasive treatments (such as steroid injections), a full knee replacement may be the only option.
• Partial knee replacement. A partial replacement is also possible depending on the extent of the damage. A partial operation is less invasive, and a quicker recovery time can be expected but this is only possible if there is no damage to any of the surrounding ligaments or tendons.
• Knee replacement revision. A revision of an existing replacement is sometimes necessary if the original prosthesis suffers damage. This is a complex operation that requires detailed planning since the original prosthesis needs removing and the bone ends prepared again for the new replacement joint.
• Knee arthroscopy. This is a type of keyhole surgery, which is often used for diagnosis as well as surgical repairs.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common. According to NHS research they account for 40% of all knee injuries in sport. 

The anterior cruciate ligament connects the thigh bone to the tibia through the knee joint. Severe injuries usually require surgery. This is known as ACL reconstruction. 

The ACL has two main functions: First, it helps with the stability of the knee joint, and second, it helps with the forward and back movement of the leg. 

ACL causes

A tear of the ACL can occur when the leg is twisted beyond its normal angle of motion, either to the left or to the right, but also when the leg is stretched too far forward. 

These situations often occur in sports such as football and athletics where players suddenly twist, plant their feet too hard on the ground, land awkwardly, collide with other players or objects, or simply exert themselves beyond their natural limits. 

ACL surgery

Surgery for a torn ACL is not trivial and usually requires reconstruction using ligaments from other areas of the leg. As a result, the recovery time can be quite long, ranging from 6 months to a year. 

ACL reconstructive surgery will not be performed until any swelling has been controlled, which can take a few weeks. It is also important that the muscles surrounding the knee are as strong as possible before surgery, so physiotherapy may be required.

When you meet with your Consultant at The Alexandra Hospital, they will take a detailed medical history and ask you about your symptoms. You may be asked questions such as:

• What symptoms do you have?
• When did you first notice the symptoms?
• If you have pain in your knee, can you describe how it feels?
• Have you tried, or had any previous treatments? If so, what were they and did they help?
• Are your current symptoms preventing or limiting you from doing certain activities?

Your Consultant will carry out a physical examination of your knee, and possibly your hip, back and lower leg, as sometimes, pain in your knee can be caused by problems in those areas.

Your Consultant may also need to have additional tests or investigations carried out. These may include X-ray, MRI, CT, or ultrasound scans. At The Alexandra Hospital in Manchester, we pride ourselves on having ultramodern equipment to ensure the best possible analysis and diagnosis for our patients.

For some knee problems, your Consultant may recommend carrying out keyhole surgery as well as specific scans to get a clearer view of the wear and tear or damage. All these options will be explained in full during your consultation, so you get a clear breakdown of all the procedures and costs involved.

All tests will be carried out as soon as possible so should you need to have surgery, it won’t be delayed, and we can help you recover in the quickest possible way.

A typical initial consultation at The Alexandra Hospital in Manchester is around £200. Costs vary depending on each patient’s condition. The following guide will give you an indication of cost for most knee operations at The Alexandra Hospital:

• Meniscus surgery from £4,512
• Ligament repair or reconstruction from £4,546
• Knee osteotomy from £6,459
• Patella realignment from £5,907
• Total knee replacement from £13,089
• Partial knee replacement £12,322
• Knee replacement revision £20,900
• Knee arthroscopy from £2,436

All costs associated with your treatment will be explained in detail with you during your consultation.

People choose to have their knee treatment at The Alexandra Hospital for several reasons. Some are referred to us from their GP, Physiotherapist, Sports Physiotherapist or Osteopath. Others are recommended to us by friends or family members who have been previously treated with us.

Many of our patients are from Manchester and the surrounding area of Greater Manchester including Stockport, Tameside, Salford, and Trafford, but people also travel from further afield, including Cheshire East, the Lake District, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire.

Our treatment offers:

• Fast assessment: Pain can have a huge impact on our quality of life. If you’re in pain or frustrated by mobility issues, you’ll value being able to see a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon as soon as possible.
• A tailored approach: Every knee is different, so surgery needs to be tailored to each patient. MAKO Robotic-Arm Assisted Knee Surgery can make it easier to supply a stable, well-functioning knee joint. Your Consultant will tailor your treatment to ensure you experience the benefits of surgery as soon as possible.
• Remote consultation: Consultations for knee problems are normally carried out in person on-site here at The Alexandra in Manchester. However, we also offer remote consultations by telephone or online video call.
• Comprehensive support: Following surgery, a well-structured recovery and rehabilitation programme is vital. Our on-site physiotherapy team will work closely with you and your consultant to help you safely regain strength, movement and function again.
• Multidisciplinary team: With leading Consultant Surgeons, Physiotherapists, Nurses, Radiologists, and countless other healthcare professionals on-site at any one time, you will always be well-supported throughout your time with us.

If you’re struggling with any type of knee problem, whether pain, stiffness or weakness, we can help, and with our large range of treatment options all available on-site at The Alexandra Hospital, Manchester serving the Greater Manchester area and all surrounding regions, you won’t have far to look.

Also, should your operation require an overnight (or longer) stay with us, you will have your own private room with 24-hour friendly medical care and full en-suite facilities. For peace of mind and expert care fast, book your appointment online today.