Knee surgery in Greenwich

We rely on our knees for many everyday movements and activities. Whether we’re walking up or down stairs, driving our car or doing a food shop. Our knees help make these things possible. Any kind of problem with the knee can have a significant effect on our mobility and quality of life.

Sports injuries and ‘wear and tear’ degeneration are very common causes of knee pain.

Many knee injuries will resolve themselves naturally over time, but if your symptoms continue or get worse, it can be sensible to get an expert assessment and advice.

If you’re struggling with degenerative wear and tear in your knee that is causing you increased levels of pain and stiffness, you may benefit from treatment.

At The Blackheath Hospital, our experienced Consultant Knee Surgeons treat a wide range of knee diseases and disorders, helping people to get out of pain and back to better mobility again as soon as possible. Whether you think you may have torn a ligament in your knee or are struggling with the effects of arthritis in the joint, they would be delighted to help you.

We have all the facilities needed to thoroughly investigate knee problems, including X-ray, MRI and CT scanners. We also have an expert team of Physiotherapists available to help with recovery and rehabilitation for a range of knee problems, to ensure you get back to better knee function safely.

Even though you will be meeting with a Consultant Knee Surgeon at The Blackheath, it is important to know that many knee conditions can be successfully managed and treated without the need for any type of surgery. Non-surgical treatments can be very effective at relieving symptoms in the knee. Non-surgical treatments may include:

• Physiotherapy
• Pain relief medication (analgesia)
• Joint injections

If your knee symptoms don’t respond to these treatments and continue to cause you pain or other symptoms, you may be advised to consider surgery. The Consultants at The Blackheath can provide a wide range of surgical treatments for knee conditions, including:

• Knee Arthroscopy – keyhole surgery inside the knee joint, can be used for diagnosis and/or surgical repair
• Meniscus surgery – these cartilages in the knee can sometimes get torn through injury
• Ligament repair or reconstruction – the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly damaged ligament in the knee
• Osteotomy – this involves realigning the bones
• Patella (kneecap) realignment – sometimes required if you suffer dislocations
• Total or Partial Knee Replacement – replaces the damaged joint surfaces with new artificial - this is offered in painful arthritis
• Revision Total Knee Replacement – when knee replacements eventually fail

When you meet with your Consultant at The Blackheath, they will take a detailed medical history and ask you about your symptoms. They will want to know:

• The symptoms you have
• When your symptoms started
• Whether there was an obvious cause for your symptoms (for example, did you twist your knee while playing football?)
• Whether you have any type of pain in your knee and what brings it on
• Whether any of your symptoms are getting worse
• If you’ve received any type of treatments already, like prescription medication or physiotherapy

They will carry out a clinical examination of your knees, and often your hip, back and lower leg as knee pain can sometimes be referred from problems in these areas.

You may be referred for additional investigations to help with diagnosis. X-rays of the knee can help demonstrate any bony abnormalities, while MRI and Ultrasound can be extremely helpful when looking for soft tissue problems such as ligament and cartilage damage.

X-ray, CT, MRI and Ultrasound are all readily available at The Blackheath, so these can be easily and quickly arranged for you. Experienced on-site radiologists help ensure the results of any of these tests are back with your Consultant as soon as possible.

Once the results of any investigations are back and your consultant has confirmed a diagnosis, they will explore suitable treatment options with you.

For some conditions, your consultant may carry out keyhole surgery (knee arthroscopy). Small cuts are made in your skin and an arthroscope (a thin tube, the size of a pencil, with a camera and light on one end) is passed into the knee joint. The arthroscope sends a live feed to a video screen, allowing your surgeon a clear view inside the joint. If any problems are found, such as ligament or cartilage damage, it is often possible to carry out surgical repair as part of the arthroscopy.

At The Blackheath Hospital in Greenwich, some of our surgeons use the VELYS™ robotic surgical system to help them perform knee replacement surgery.  

Robotics-assisted knee replacement surgery is when your surgeon uses robotic technology to help them perform knee surgery, allowing them to be more precise and accurate. This can offer a range of benefits, including less pain and a faster recovery. 

If you are interested in learning more about robotic surgery at The Blackheath Hospital, read our page on VELYS™ robotics-assisted knee replacement surgery, or give us a call to find out which of our consultants work with VELYS™.

People in and around London visit The Blackheath for a variety of knee conditions and treatments. Many are referred by a GP, physiotherapist, osteopath or private medical insurance provider. Others are recommended to us by friends or family members who have been treated by us previously.

While a medical referral can be helpful, you can also self-refer, and perhaps you may have already had an assessment elsewhere and would like to speed up the process of your care.

We treat people with private medical insurance and those who chose to use one of our self-pay options. When you visit The Blackheath Hospital for your knee treatment in London, you will benefit from:

• Rapid access to an expert in knee health – Knee pain can have a significant impact on daily life, and you won’t want to be waiting weeks (or even many months!) for an initial consultation. We can offer you fast access to an experienced knee surgeon, so that you can see the benefits of any treatment options, sooner.
• Patient Satisfaction – In an independent survey, 97.9% of the people we treated said they were likely or highly likely to recommend he Blackheath Hospital to their friends and family.
• Bespoke approach – Your consultant will tailor treatment to your specific condition and requirements to ensure you see optimal benefits as soon as possible. If surgery is needed, it will be precisely planned to give you the best.
• Remote Consultation – Consultations are normally done at The Blackheath. However, we can also offer remote consultations by telephone or online video call if required (and where clinically appropriate).
• Comprehensive support - Our experienced on-site physiotherapy team will work closely with you before and after any surgery to help you regain strength, movement and function in the knee again at a sensible pace. Your Consultant will oversee all aspects of your treatment to ensure you continue to see the best results and symptom relief possible for your condition.
• Multidisciplinary team – Your Consultant is supported in their work by a host of healthcare specialists, including radiologists, physiotherapists, nurses and occupational therapists. This ensures you will always have fast and easy access to the support you need, when you need it, from the most suitable expert for your specific condition.

If you are concerned about any symptoms in your knee, like pain or stiffness, it can be sensible to meet with an expert to get things assessed and investigated. For peace of mind and expert care for your knee condition, why not book your appointment today. We look forward to welcoming you to The Blackheath Hospital soon.