Our knees play a vital role in the function of our body. Essential for us to comfortably live our everyday lives, they help us walk, run, sit, and bend down.
They also enable us to drive, with the function of the synovial hinge joint being to allow flexion and extension of the lower leg.
When we have pain or discomfort in our knees, though, flexibility and mobility is therefore decreased – and our day-to-day activities may be limited as a result.
Our consultant orthopaedic surgeon at The Lancaster Hospital specialises in lower limb surgery, which includes offering a diagnosis for common knee conditions and performing surgery on the knee.
Undertaking more than 2000 hip and knee replacements to date, including complex revision surgery, our consultant has special interest in management of sports injuries, which includes arthroscopic (also known as ‘keyhole’) knee surgery.
Knee Arthritis
Causing pain and inflammation in the knee joint, knee arthritis is a common condition and one which can be treated or managed successfully at The Lancaster Hospital. Symptoms include pain, tenderness and stiffness, as well as inflammation around the knee joint, restricted movement and even warm, red skin around the area, as well as weakness and muscle wasting.
Knee Cartilage Tears
A relatively common complaint, knee cartilage tears affect many of our knee surgery patients at The Lancaster Hospital. Patients complain about symptoms including pain, swelling, stiffness and a grinding or clicking sensation in the knee area. While symptoms can improve on their own within a few weeks, some people do require more invention.
Ligamentous Injuries
This type of injury, known more commonly as a sprain, can affect a host of areas in the body. A tear or stretch in a ligament, a knee injury of this kind can be caused by a sudden movement – such as twisting. It is one of the most common ligament injuries and can be treated in a wealth of ways.
Sporting Injuries
Knee injuries make up a good proportion of all sporting injuries. Patients visiting The Lancaster Hospital may present with a host of injuries involving the knee, with pain and immobilisation being key symptoms.
Again, several treatment modalities may be offered, depending on the severity of the patient’s symptoms.
During the consultation, you can expect to have a thorough clinical evaluation and appropriate imaging; the first session is geared towards deciphering the source of your symptom (or symptoms).
It starts with a thorough history taking, during which our consultants will discuss the patient’s problem – including both the pressing problem and the underlying problem. The consultant will also discuss any other conditions the patient is experiencing, as well as their medication, any allergies and what their social circumstance is – for example, what their job involves.
The best possible knee treatment option will be considered, ranging from non-operative treatment, physiotherapy, bracing, injection therapy or surgical management – including knee replacement, knee arthroscopic surgery, and ligament reconstruction surgery.
Medical investigations and treatment in terms of pain management – assessing the damage ahead of treating a condition, for example – is also available.
The consultant will appropriately investigate the situation, to find out what condition the patient might be suffering from, in order to offer them an appropriate treatment.
By performing diagnostic tests on the day of the consultation, our team can formulate a treatment package specifically for the patient, to ensure a clear plan of action. It helps that the patient knows what their options are, which can also help them recover faster.
For patients that would benefit from surgery where the knee doesn't need to be sacrificed, an osteotomy can be carried out to offload the painful compartment of the knee. Our consultant will always first lay out treatment options for patients, to allow them time to get their head around the issue and how it can be addressed.
Sports injuries are also high on our consultant’s agenda for patients, with everything from investigations (such as MRI scans) to treatments using sports physiotherapists, and specialised keyhole surgery available at The Lancaster Hospital.
The treatment time at Lancaster Hospital is much shorter than if the patient was waiting on the NHS to be seen.
At The Lancaster Hospital, it is pretty much guaranteed that they will seen by a consultant too. Patients will receive a more personal service, and everything is done in-house.
With regard to orthopaedics in general, the infection rate at The Lancaster Hospital is extremely low, compared to the national average. For any orthopaedic procedure – including knee surgery –our surgeons always aim to minimise the risk of infection.
Common procedures – including knee replacement, ligament reconstruction and knee arthroscopy – require a multi-disciplinary team, too, for full and quick recovery.
At The Lancaster Hospital, the orthopaedic consultants will work closely with our on-site physiotherapists, as well as nurses and occupational therapists, which means every single patient gets a multi-disciplinary team approach.
Offering state-of-the-art equipment, The Lancaster Hospital is easy to travel to and offers 33 car parking spaces for patients.
The hospital has great ward facilities, too, where patients can be monitored carefully.
If you’re looking for a knee surgeon in Lancaster, our hospital provides a wide range of consultant-led appointments.
Here are just a handful of reasons why you might choose The Lancaster Hospital for treatment or surgery on your knee, or for your initial consultation:
- Shorter waiting times and flexible appointments – At The Lancaster Hospital, waiting times are short, and appointment times are flexible.
- Consultant-led appointments – Your knee surgery appointment will always be consultant-led, which means it will see the same person each time – from your consultation, right through to any treatment needed.
- Personalised care and optimum patient satisfaction – In 2019 alone, 97.1%* of The Lancaster Hospital’s patients said they would recommend the hospital – and we offer clean and modern facilities and a wealth of experts who can help improve your quality of life. * Results compiled by independent agency, Quality Health
- Convenient remote consultations – If you prefer, you may have the opportunity to chat to a consultant from the comfort of your home via a platform like Microsoft Teams
- A multidisciplinary clinic – Our knee surgery team offers a multidisciplinary approach to your healthcare, working closely with a dedicated team of physiotherapists
The Lancaster Hospital caters to the whole of Cumbria; it also caters to quite a large area of north Lancashire.
Knee surgery patients might travel from Preston, while others may visit from Lancaster, Blackburn, Chorley, Leyland and the surrounding areas.
Keen to make an appointment with our consultant orthopaedic surgeon here at The Lancaster Hospital?
Simply call our friendly team on 01524 62345. Alternatively, you can use our knee surgery online booking system to schedule an appointment.
