Orthopaedic surgery treats joints and bones to relieve pain that may have been caused by disease or trauma.
Bishops Wood Hospital have consultants who specialise in a wide range of orthopaedic procedures, to relieve pain in the hip, knee, shoulder, hand and foot. They work with a team of dedicated nurses, anaesthetists and charted physiotherapists to offer you all the support you need.
Bishops Wood Hospital is located in Northwood in North West London, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. People visit us from local areas including Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Pinner, Ruislip and Amersham, as well as Uxbridge, Chalfont and Watford. We also welcome patients from across the UK as well as abroad. When you go private, you can choose which hospital and which consultant are the best fit for you.
Ankle surgery and ankle arthroscopy
Ankle arthroscopy, or commonly known as keyhole surgery, is a procedure performed on people who suffer from ligament damage, a torn cartilage, or arthritis. The procedure uses a miniature telescope which is inserted into the foot so that your consultant can diagnose, and in many cases perform, ankle surgery.
The surgery is usually performed under general anaesthetic, but sometimes it can be performed under local. The procedure only takes around 45 minutes, and you should be able to go home the same day.
Bunion removal surgery
Bunion surgery removes bony lumps on the side of the foot known as bunions. If the bunion is causing pain, and other non-surgical treatments such as bunion pads or insoles no longer provide relief, then surgery may be considered.
The surgery to remove the bunion is usually performed under general anaesthetic, takes around 30 minutes to an hour, and you should be able to go home the same day as your surgery.
Hip Replacement
Hip replacement replaces a damaged hip joint with a prosthesis, or artificial joint. Osteoarthritis is a common cause for deterioration of the hip joint, but hip fractures rheumatoid arthritis and avascular necrosis can also cause damage.
Hip replacement surgery is usually only considered after non-invasive measures, such as physiotherapy, joint injections or painkillers are no longer effective and hip pain is affecting your daily activities.
The hip replacement operation is performed under general anaesthetic, and you will usually be able to go home after four to seven days.
Hip Resurfacing Surgery
Hip surfacing surgery replaces damaged or diseased parts of the hip with metal implants.
The hip resurfacing procedure, preserves the bone and is an alternative to total hip replacement, often for young and active patients.
During the procedure, the ball joint of the hip (femoral head) is shaped to fit a metal sphere, and the cup joint (acetabular socket) is fitted with a corresponding metal cup. The operation can be performed under local or general anaesthetic. You will need to stay in hospital for a few days afterwards.
Hip Revision Operation
The hip revision operation removes and replaces a previous prosthesis from a hip replacement. Due to damage or dislodgement, a replaced hip will need a new prosthesis approximately every 10 years, but for some patients this may be required sooner. The hip revision surgery will reduce discomfort or pain that you may experience.
The surgery to replace the hip prosthesis can be carried out under either general or regional anaesthetic, the most appropriate option will be discussed with you prior to the surgery.
After the surgery you will need to stay in hospital for up to 4 days.
Knee Replacement
Knee replacement replaces a damaged knee with a prosthesis, or artificial joint.
Knee replacement surgery is usually only considered after non-invasive measures, such as physiotherapy, joint injections or painkillers are no longer effective, and knee pain is affecting your daily activities.
The knee replacement operation is performed under general anaesthetic or epidural, and you will usually be able to go home after two to four days.
Partial Knee Replacement Surgery
A partial knee replacement, sometimes known as unicompartimental knee replacement, replaces a part of the knee with an artificial joint.
The surgery is minimally invasive, so it helps to avoid healthy bone and ligaments being removed as they would in a total knee replacement. A small incision in the knee is made so that damaged bone and tissue can be removed and replaced with an implant.
The partial knee replacement will be performed under general anaesthetic, and will take between one and two hours to perform. You will typically only need to spend one night in hospital.
Revision Knee Replacement
A revision knee replacement is an operation to remove and replace a previous prosthesis.
A revision knee replacement may be required around 15 to 20 years after an initial knee replacement due to wear out or break, and may be required sooner if you play high-impact sport or are overweight.
If the revision is due to an infection, the operation will be performed in two stages: firstly removing the prosthesis and inserting bone cement with antibiotics, then after 6 to 8 weeks if there is no more infection, an operation to place the new knee implants.
If there was no infection, only one stage of placing the implant into the knee will be needed. The operation will take around 2 hours and will be done under general anaesthetic. You may need to stay in hospital up to 4 nights.
ACL Surgery
An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive operation is a form of knee surgery that repairs or reconstructs the ACL.
The ACL is a ligament that keeps your knee stable. Replacing the ACL with a graft stabilises the knee and prevents it from giving way when making a twisting movement. Damage to the ACL usually happens when playing sport such as skiing, tennis, football or rugby.
The operation is performed under general anaesthetic or epidural, and you will usually be able to go home the next day.
Cartilage operation
A cartilage operation corrects damage to cartilage.
Probably related to the increase in sporting activities and the impact that this involves, the procedure is most often performed on the knee.
The types of cartilage operation performed will depend on your unique medical needs. One of the methods that may be used is to stimulate new cartilage to grow through implanting a frame known as an artificial scaffold. The frame's contents include collagen and proteins which stimulate new cartilage to grow and absorb the implant into the cartilage.
Another method is a mosaicplasty which replaces the damaged cartilage with healthy cartilage from other areas of the body.
Subacromial Decompression
Subacromial decompression removes inflammation from the muscles around the shoulder and removes any bony growths, or spurs, which may have formed.
Your consultant uses keyhole surgery to examine and reconstruct the shoulder blade, to relieve shoulder pain and improve your shoulder movement.
Shoulder replacement surgery
Shoulder replacement surgery may be required if you suffer from severe arthritis and non-surgical methods, such as injections, medicines and physiotherapy, are no longer effective.
In the procedure, a surgeon cuts the front of the shoulder, replaces the top of the arm bone with a metal ball, and replaces the socket of the shoulder if required.
The surgery will usually be performed under general anaesthetic, and you may need to stay in hospital between two and five days.
Shoulder Arthroscopy
Shoulder arthroscopy, or commonly known as keyhole surgery, is a procedure where a consultant inserts a camera into your shoulder via a small cut in your skin to diagnose, and many cases treat, a problem.
The shoulder arthroscopy is usually performed under general anaesthetic, takes around 40 minutes, and you are usually able to go home the same day.
Rotator cuff surgery
Rotator cuff surgery repairs a torn or damaged rotator cuff, and may be recommended if non-surgical methods, such as steroid injections or physiotherapy, are no longer effective.
Depending on the injury, the rotator cuff operation can be performed as either an open surgery or by keyhole surgery, called an arthroscopy.
The operation is usually under a general anaesthetic; however, a variety of anaesthetic techniques are possible. The immediate recovery period will depend on the type of anaesthetic that has been used, but in some cases, it may be possible to go home the same day as the procedure.
Elbow Arthroscopy
Elbow arthroscopy is a procedure performed to diagnose, and in many cases treat, problems affecting the elbow. A small camera will be inserted through a small cut to see inside your elbow. Elbow arthroscopy is also sometimes referred to as keyhole surgery.
The elbow arthroscopy operation takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour, and your consultant will advise whether a regional or general anaesthetic is the most appropriate for you. You should be able to go home the same day as your surgery.
Carpal Tunnel Surgery
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by increased pressure on the nerve on the front of your wrist, known as the median nerve, which results in feelings of pain, tingling or numbness in the fingers and wrist, and aching in the hand and arm.
If methods such as wrist support or exercises are no longer effective, the medical treatment of carpal tunnel may be advised. The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthetic and involves the surgeon making a small cut in the palm of your hand, cutting the tight ligament so that the nerve stops being compressed.
The surgery usually on takes around 15 minutes and you should be able to go home the same day.
