Knee surgery in Dorchester

Knees are used and relied on for many everyday activities and movements, from walking downstairs, standing up from a chair or driving a car. It can be easy to pay no attention to them most of the time. Indeed, it is only when something goes wrong in them that we realise just how much we depend on them working properly!

Knee pain is a particularly common problem, usually caused by a sports injury or general ‘wear-and-tear’ in the joint as we age.

Some knee injuries will get better naturally over time, but if your symptoms continue or are bad enough to affect daily life, it is sensible to get things looked properly.

Similarly, if general ‘wear and tear’ in your knee is causing only relatively mild symptoms, you may be able to ignore them for a while. If your symptoms are more severe, they are often far harder to ignore, and you will probably quickly realise the value of getting expert guidance about the best way forward.

If you're looking for knee treatment in West Dorset, North Dorset, Weymouth or Plymouth, The Winterbourne Hospital is the best place to visit. At The Winterbourne Hospital in Dorset, our experienced Consultant Knee Surgeons provide you with fast assessment and bespoke treatment to help get you out of pain and back to better movement and function in your knee again. Why not book your appointment with them now?

Knee surgery is an umbrella term for any type of surgical procedure carried out on your knee. This can include anything from minimally invasive and arthroscopic (keyhole) procedures, to major open surgery.

The most common type of knee surgery is knee arthroscopy, which is a keyhole procedure that can be used to both diagnose and treat problems in your knee joint. The next most common type of knee surgery is a knee replacement, which is where damaged elements of your knee joint are replaced with prosthetic elements, known as an implant or prosthesis.

When you meet with your consultant at the hospital, they will take a detailed medical history and ask you about your symptoms.

They will carry out a detailed examination of your knee. Your hip, back and leg may also be examined if they suspect your knee pain is referred from a problem in one of these areas.

Additional investigations may be needed, such as X-ray, MRI or ultrasound, and these can all be easily arranged for you in the hospital. Once a diagnosis has been made, your consultant will discuss this with you and talk through suitable treatment options.

Treatment will always be tailored to your specific needs and what will be best for you. Your consultant will always explain the benefits you should expect to see from treatment, as well as any risk and possible complications. You will always have the information you need to make an informed choice about treatment. The decision to have any treatment will always be yours to make.

Many people come to visit a knee surgeon assuming they will require knee surgery to resolve their symptoms. Knee surgery will be necessary to treat a number of knee conditions, but many symptoms and conditions can be well treated with non-surgical (conservative) options.

These treatments include:

• Pain relief medication (analgesia) – if over-the-counter medications are not able to help, your consultant can prescribe stronger painkillers if appropriate
• Physiotherapy – can help to strengthen and balance muscles in and around the knee, back and hip to correct pain caused by poor alignment or instability
• Joint injections – usually a corticosteroid, but Hyaluronic acid or Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) may be helpful for some conditions

If these treatments do not relieve your symptoms, or become less effective should your symptoms worsen, surgery may be an option.

Whatever symptoms you are experiencing, whether relatively mild or far more debilitating, your consultant will fully investigate the cause and will make sure you receive any treatment required as quickly as possible.

At The Winterbourne Hospital, we provide a range of knee treatments, including:

• Total Knee Replacement
• Partial Knee Replacement Revision
• Total Knee Replacement Ligament Repair or Reconstruction – the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the one most frequently damaged in the knee
• Cartilage Surgery
• Meniscus Repair
• Osteotomy
• Patellofemoral Realignment or Replacement

Many types of knee surgery can be carried out with keyhole surgery (knee arthroscopy). This minimally invasive approach to treatment can be used for diagnosis and treatment of many conditions, and provides less pain, reduced scarring and improved recovery times.

Knee replacement surgery usually takes between one and two hours, but this will depend on the details of your surgery, and it can take longer.

Your consultant knee surgeon will give you personalised information so that you know what to expect on the day of your surgery.

Recovering from knee surgery is different for everyone, and will depend on various factors, including which type of knee surgery you have. For example, recovery from minimally invasive or arthroscopic knee surgery is usually faster than recovery from open surgery, such as a knee replacement.

Whatever surgery you have, you have a better chance of success if you are supported through your recovery by a physiotherapist.

At Circle Health Group, all our knee surgery patients will be supported by a dedicated registered physiotherapist who specialises in getting people back on their feet. They will work with you throughout your treatment journey, building a personalised recovery plan that will help you to regain your strength and support the healing of your knee as best as you can.

Recovery after knee replacement surgery is different for everyone, but it can be helpful to have an idea of what’s typical.

After surgery, most people stay in hospital one or two nights, though some people will go home sooner. You’ll certainly be encouraged to be up and walking within 12-24 hours of surgery, usually with the help of a physiotherapist.

Once you’re home, you’ll gradually return to normal activities, building up your movement over time at a pace that works for you, again with the support of a physiotherapist. Our team will stay in contact throughout your recovery.

Most people return to work between two and six weeks after surgery, you should be feeling almost normal after six to twelve weeks, and full recovery can come anywhere between six weeks and 12 months after your knee replacement.

Find out everything you need to know about knee replacement surgery.

As the only local private hospital, many of our patients are from Dorchester and other parts of Dorset, but we also treat people from further afield, like Yeovil and other parts of Somerset.

A number of people come to us because a friend or family member has recommended us. Others are referred by their GP, physiotherapist, osteopath or private medical insurance provider. You can also self-refer in order to get the help you need sooner.

When you choose to have your knee treatment at The Winterbourne Hospital, you will benefit from:

• Short waiting times – Whether you are struggling to see your GP for an appointment or concerned by the long waiting lists for knee surgery on the NHS, it can be reassuring to know that good, effective help is available for your problem, fast. We can book you and appointment with an experienced knee surgeon, so that you can access the help you need quicker.
• Flexible appointments – With a number of experienced consultants providing treatment for knee problems, it is easy to book an appointment that fits your availability. As well appointments in the hospital, we can also offer remote consultations by telephone or online video call if required (and where clinically appropriate).
• Tailored treatment – Treatment will be carefully planned to meet your specific requirements to ensure you are out of pain and back to better movement, strength and function in the knee again as quickly and fully as possible.
• Custom recovery programme – The results of any knee surgery are always improved with proper recovery and rehabilitation. Our excellent physiotherapy team will support you before and after surgery, helping you to recover safely and at the right pace for you.
• A multidisciplinary team: With experienced Consultant Hip Surgeons, radiologists, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals, you will always receive the best treatment, rehabilitation and care for your particular knee concern.
• Patient satisfaction – In an independent survey, 99.1% of patients said their overall experience of our service was good, or very good. We don’t take this for granted and continue to work hard on delivering the highest level of care to everyone who visits us for help with their knee problem.
• Location – The Winterbourne Hospital is located just one mile south of Dorchester town centre and has a car park with 40 spaces.

If you are concerned about a problem with your knee, it is important to know that you are not alone. Good help is available, sooner than you may think.

We can provide a range of treatments for you, both surgical and conservative, to help get you out of pain and back to better movement and function once more.

For peace of mind and known expert care, why not book your appointment with an experienced Consultant Knee Surgeon now?

We look forward to welcoming you to The Winterbourne Hospital and helping to get you out of knee pain as soon as possible.

To book a consultation to discuss knee surgery with an orthopaedic surgeon near you, use our online booking system, or give us a call and one of our dedicated advisors will help you find an appointment time that suits you.