Knee replacement surgery at Vale Hospital

Why choose Nuffield Health Cardiff & Vale Hospitals for your knee replacement surgery?

Our hospital located in the Vale Glamorgan is a technologically advanced private establishment designed to deliver the very best in primary orthopaedic care. Being an inpatient at The Vale Hospital means you have your own hotel standard private room, with spacious en-suite facilities. You will also get the opportunity to eat fresh food which has been prepared by our french chefs and sourced from our hospitals vegetable gardens.

At our private hospital the patient experience is at the heart of everything we do. Our ultra modern facilities ensure that you are comfortable and entertained throughout your hospital stay.

Our orthopaedic consultants have built a strong reputation in Wales and surrounding areas for their exemplary patient outcomes from joint replacement surgery. To enhance our excellent primary care service, patients in South Wales can undertake post surgery rehabilitation sessions provided by our physiotherapy teams at both The Vale and Cardiff Bay Hospitals.

How to book a private consultation at Nuffield Health Cardiff & Vale Hospitals

If you are suffering from knee pain and want to discuss your treatment options with one of our orthopaedic consultants in either Cardiff or Vale, you will need to book a private consultation via our dedicated enquiry team on 02920 836700.

Please let the enquiry handler know if you have had any recent X-rays or scans when booking your consultation, as there will be additional charges for any diagnostic imaging required.

Our 2 hospital locations in South Wales allow you to shape your own knee treatment

Knee replacement surgery is performed at our Vale Hospital, however patients have the flexibility to decide where their initial consultation takes place.

As well as the Vale Hospital, our knee consultants operate out of Nuffield Health Cardiff Bay Hospital for initial consultations and all diagnostic imaging.

Subsequently, you can choose which of our two locations you want to undertake your post surgery physiotherapy and aftercare with.

Why do some people require a knee replacement?

• Over time, the surfaces on the knee joint can wear away
• This could be caused by arthritis or a previous knee injury
• Arthritis is painful as joints become stiff and inflamed when the smooth lining between the joints gets damaged or wears away
• Without the protection of this lining, the rough surfaces of your bones rub together as you move, causing pain
• Simple everyday things like going for a walk or even getting dressed can become difficult greatly affecting your quality of life
• There’s no cure for arthritis and it can get worse with time. However joints can be replaced successfully, improving mobility and reducing pain
• A knee replacement is a procedure to remove your damaged knee joint and replace it with an artificial one (known as a prosthesis)
• Your knee replacement can be made out of metal or plastic
• Following surgery your knee should be much less painful and the joint should move more smoothly
• New advances in technology offer a greater range of implant types and sizes
• Your surgeon in South Wales will choose the implant that best suits your body size and lifestyle
• In some cases a CT scan or MRI scan of your knee may be used to create special guides that will help your surgeon accurately fit your new knee joint.

Paying for your knee replacement surgery at Nuffield Health The Vale Hospital

Did you know, at Nuffield Health Cardiff & Vale Hospitals you can pay for your private knee treatment yourself, rather than waiting for treatment on the NHS? Find out more about paying for yourself.

Alternatively, you can also use your own private medical insurance.

What happens during knee replacement surgery

• Knee replacement surgery is normally performed under general anaesthetic
• During the operation your whole existing knee joint is replaced with a new prosthetic
• The procedure normally takes between 1 - 2 hours
• Your orthopaedic surgeon will make an incision at the front of your knee where the replacement will be inserted
• Usually, you will stay in hospital for 2-4 days, but you may have to stay longer if necessary.

After knee surgery

• Once your operation is over, you’ll be taken to the recovery room where you will wake from the anaesthetic
• Your wound, blood pressure and pulse will be checked carefully
• You will have a large dressing covering your wound
• You may have a small tube coming out of your wound - this is to drain away any excess fluid from the inside of the wound
• You may also have a drip (infusion) going into your arm. This will keep you hydrated until you are able to drink, and can also be used to give you pain relief
• When you are stable and comfortable, a nurse will take you back to your private hospital room.

Getting up for the first time

• We understand that you may be anxious or worried about getting up, but we will do all we can to help and reassure you
• A member of our medical team will be there to help you, whenever you are ready
• The reason for getting you moving is to improve your circulation and avoid stiffness
• You may be feeling tender and sore, but you can get pain relief medication to deal with any discomfort – just ask one of the nurses if you have any pain
• Once out of bed, you will continue to wear support stockings to help your circulation
• The physiotherapists will work with you during your stay to help give you the best start with your new joint. Our physiotherapists specialise in orthopaedic aftercare and work closely with our orthopaedic surgeons to get you back to your feet.

Going home after surgery

• Before being discharged you will have an X-ray of your new knee to check its position
• A physiotherapist will give you some exercises to help get your new knee moving
• These are important to help you make a good recovery
• The physiotherapist will also show you how to walk up and down stairs and make sure you are confident at doing this before you go home
• You won’t be able to drive, so you will need someone to come and take you home from the hospital
• When you go home, you may need some help with shopping and household chores
• It’s a good idea to arrange for someone to stay with you - or at least look in on you daily for at least a week
• It’s usual to return to see your consultant as an outpatient after your operation
• You may need to have stitches removed. You’ll be given information about these appointments before you go home
• We’ll give you some pain relief medication to take with you
• When you get home you will be tired for several weeks and should rest
• However, it’s also important to aim to gradually increase your physical activity each day, so you should continue with the exercises the physiotherapist showed you
• You will need to keep using crutches or a walking stick for a while
• To help you manage and increase mobility it’s recommended that you take any pain relief medication we have prescribed
• Continue taking this until you are pain free.

So you don’t damage your new knee and to help your wound heal well, please:

• Take showers instead of a bath
• Keep wearing your support stockings - you may have to do so for 4 - 6 weeks.

Getting back to normal after your procedure

• It is important to understand that everyone heals differently
• You will continue to improve over the next 6 to 12 months
• Your scar should fade to a thin white line
• Depending on what type of job you do, you should be able to return to work within 12 weeks
• You may want to think about a phased return to work
• After your follow-up visit with your surgeon you should be released to drive, but only if you can comfortably operate the pedals and control your car in all situations. This includes an emergency stop
• If you are in any doubt about your insurance cover, it’s best to contact your insurance company.

Most people make a good recovery and return to normal activities following knee replacement. As with any surgery there can be complications:

• Pain
• Bleeding
• Infection of the surgical site (incision)
• Scarring
• Blood clots (DVT - deep vein thrombosis)
• Difficulty passing urine
• Chest infection
• Heart attack
• Stroke.

Risks specific to knee replacement surgery are:

• Numbness on the outside of the knee caused by a nerve being cut during surgery
• Stiffness - there may need to be further, minor surgery to improve this
• Pain when kneeling
• Bleeding around the joint - this usually settles but may need to be drained by a surgeon
• Fluid build-up around the joint
• Rejection of the prosthesis
• Infection in the joint.

Other types of knee replacement

Mako® robotic-arm assisted surgery

This type of knee replacement uses robotic-arm assisted technology for greater accuracy. The use of this technology has been shown to result in shorter hospital stays, smoother recovery and increased satisfaction.

In the weeks before your operation, the Mako® robotic-arm processes information taken from a 3D CT scan of your knee joint to generate a 3D virtual model of your knee. Your consultant then plans the operation to be within fractions of a millimetre with the help of the robotic-arm assisted technology.

During the operation, your consultant is always in control. The robotic-arm assisted technology allows the consultant to perform the joint replacement with pinpoint accuracy. The consultant uses the technology as an extension of his or herself, guiding surgical tools to the correct position. The robotic-arm assisted technology does not perform the surgery on its own.

Higher accuracy during surgery means the replacement fits as well as it possibly can and ensures the joint functions as normally as possible after surgery. It's been shown to result in a shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery and higher satisfaction. There's also strong evidence of decreased pain and fewer complications following surgery.

Who is robotic knee replacement surgery suitable for?

Robotic knee replacement surgery may not be appropriate for all patients. Your consultant will advise you on the best treatments for your condition.