Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery

Overview

Let us keep you moving

Orthopaedics is a medical specialty that is concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. This field of medicine encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumours, and congenital disorders. Surgeons who specialize in orthopaedics are referred to as orthopaedic surgeons.

The Backbone of Health

With orthopaedics being one of our centres of excellence, we adopt a holistic approach in attending to your musculoskeletal treatments, helping you and your loved ones to recover as fully as you can from your injuries and illnesses.

Gleneagles Hospital Penang is a leading orthopaedic practice in Malaysia, and is home to one of the largest team of highly skilled and experienced orthopaedic specialists, who possess different sub-specialties.

Our approach to orthopaedics comprises of a multidisciplinary care for our patients to ensure the best possible clinical outcomes. Highly skilled and experienced specialists, a dedicated team of nurses, and rehabilitative services, warrant a comprehensive care for our patients.

Orthopaedic Services

At Gleneagles Hospital Penang, we offer comprehensive services in diagnosing and treating a multitude of orthopaedic conditions; covering general and specialised aspects of the musculoskeletal system.

Our services include but is not limited to:

Major Areas of Specialization

Hand Surgery & Reconstructive Microsurgery

Common Hand Conditions
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Trigger fingers
- De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
- Ganglion cysts
- Hand Infections
Hand and wrist arthritis
Hand tumours
Wrist Trauma & Disorders
- Acute and chronic wrist pain
- Distal radial fractures
- Carpal bone fractures including scaphoid fracture
- Wrist instability
Minimally Invasive Hand & Wrist Surgery
- Wrist arthroscopy
Hand Trauma
- Reattachment of amputated fingers and hand
- Fingertip injuries
- Tendon, nerve and joint injuries
- Hand fractures
Congenital Hand Anomalies

Reconstructive Surgery

Joint replacement surgery, including hip and knee
Bone conserving joint replacement e.g., surface replacement
Deformity correction surgery
Revision joint replacement (hip and knee)
Knee preservation procedure

Sports Surgery/ Arthroscopic Knee and Shoulder Surgery

Arthroscopic anterior and posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL & PCL)
Multi ligament reconstruction of the knee (PLC, MCL, LCL)
Patella stabilization surgery
Knee osteotomies
Revision ACL reconstruction
Arthroscopic meniscus repair
Cartilage repair
Arthroscopic shoulder stabilization surgery
Arthroscopic shoulder rotator cuff repair
Arthroscopic surgery to ankle and wrist
Foot and ankle tendinoscopies

Spinal Surgery

Spine surgery may be recommended if non-surgical treatment such as medication and physical therapy fail to relieve the symptoms.

The common spine surgeries include:

Scoliosis surgery
Disc replacement surgery
Spinal fusion and disc surgery
Spine tumour surgery

Besides open surgery, spine surgery can be carried out through:

Minimal invasive spinal surgery (MIS) - performing spinal surgery on the bones by utilising significantly smaller cuts and incisions than the traditional open spinal surgery
Endoscopic spinal surgery - specialised video cameras known as ‘Endoscope’ and instruments to remove the herniated disc through very small incisions. A camera is inserted through a very small keyhole to the problem area of the spine. Extremely small and highly specialised instruments are then inserted through the keyhole to deal with the spine problem with direct visualization.

Orthopaedic Oncology

Endoprosthesis replacement and limb salvage surgery
Benign tumours, malignant tumours, bone tumours, soft tissue tumours and metastatic lesions

General & Advance Trauma Surgery

Fracture fixation with emphasis on minimally invasive surgery
Soft tissue reconstruction

Comprehensive Facilities

Successful and effective treatment is first preceded by accurate diagnosis. It is imperative to properly diagnose a condition in order to determine an efficacious treatment plan for our patients.

Gleneagles Hospital Penang is one of the leaders in the field of orthopaedics, with modern facilities and equipment including:

Two dedicated digital operating rooms
3T MRI
640-Slice CT scanner

Gleneagles Hospital Penang houses two dedicated digital operating rooms where minimally invasive procedures are performed. Our digital operating rooms promote efficiency, efficacy, and overall control of the operating room, enabling our surgeons to provide high level of surgical patient care. The up-to-date sensors employed in these kinds of procedures serve to enhance a surgeon’s effectiveness while also minimizing the level of invasiveness for the patient.

The 3 Tesla (3T) MRI is an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner that enables a more accurate diagnosis due to its quicker, more detailed scans, as well as clearer images. With our latest 3T MRI scanner, we are able to overcome the challenges that come with abdominal MRI scan using FREEZEit technology, a feature which enables free-breathing examinations to those with limited breath-hold capability.

Our Imaging Department is home to an advanced 640-slice Toshiba Aquilion One CT Scanner, one of the most revolutionary and the world’s first dynamic volume CT scanner. This may be performed to assess bones, soft tissues, and joints for damage, lesions, fractures, or other abnormalities, particularly when another type of examination, such as X-rays or physical examination are not conclusive.

These revolutionary facilities assist our orthopaedic specialists in their diagnosis, and treatment of various conditions.

Orthopaedic Specialist Services

Our mobility is crucial in living an enriched and fulfilled life and plays a vital role in maintaining our overall health. Any injury to our bones and/or muscles can lead to serious health complications especially if left untreated. Gleneagles Hospitals' Orthopaedic Specialist team comprises of a panel of expert surgeons, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses, all working together to ensure your recovery is a speedy and pleasant one.

Joint Replacement Surgery

The latest technology, techniques and procedures are used by top-notch surgeons to replace, reconstruct and preserve your hips, knees as well as shoulder joints.

Minimally Invasive Procedures

Perfect for both diagnostic testing and treatment, procedures such as arthroscopy may be used to review and repair joints that have been diseased or damaged only with a small incision.

Spine Surgery

A wide range of spinecare procedures are available including fracture, infections, tumours, deformities (scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylolisthesis) and degeneration.

Types of Diagnostic Tests

Needle (Open Biopsy)

Bone biopsy procedures require bone samples to be taken and scrutinised for abnormal cell activity.

Needle biopsies require a small incision of the skin and a needle is inserted into the bone to retrieve a sample. But fret not as this biopsy is performed under local anesthesia.

Open biopsies however require a much larger incision of the skin and a piece of bone is surgically removed instead. But relax, this procedure is performed under complete general anesthesia.

Imaging Diagnostic Techniques

Computerised Tomography (CT) Scan

This is a diagnostic imaging method which makes use of x-rays to digitally produce cross sectional images of one's bones, blood vessels and soft tissues within the body.

Diagnostic Ultrasound

Also known as sonography, this is a non-invasive technique which makes use of high-frequency sound waves to produce digital images of structures inside the body. High resolution imaging enables our specialists to detect any tendon tears, tiny calcifications as well as foreign bodies.

Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA)

This procedure utilises x-rays to assess factors such as bone density when diagnosing for osteoporosis. DXA is also capable to predict an individual's level of fracture risk which is useful for post-treatment monitoring.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

As a noninvasive imaging technique, the MRI utilises magnetic fielding and pulses of radio waves to produce pictures of bones as well as soft tissues. Because the MRI doesn't use x-rays it currently has no known side effects. The MRI can also be used to effectively diagnose and assess a wide array of medical conditions that affect soft tissues.

Magnetic Resonance Arthrography (MRA)

Similar to the MRI, MRA however produces much better images due to a contrast solution (gadolinium) being injected into the affected joint, allowing its structures and soft tissues to highlight tears and defects. The MRA is usually used to determine joint conditions and can efficiently detect any ligament, tendon as well as cartilage related diseases.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

This medical imaging procedure allows for more detailed information on organ functions or systems in the body. PET Images provide the specialist with physiological information regarding the bone and is mainly used to detect issues such as abnormal bone growth associated with tumours or other abnormalities.

Blood Tests

Common diagnostic tests that include the extraction and analysis of inflammatory markers (e.g. CRR, ESR and WBC) in one's blood to determine the type of arthritis present. Other types of blood tests will look for specific antibody types such as anti-CCP (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide) and RF (rheumatoid factor).

Electromyogram (EMG)

To evaluate the electrical activity and muscular response times to nerve stimulation, EMG diagnostic tests are recommended as they can help detect muscle and nerve disorders as well as those that affect their connectivity.

EMGs require the insertion of sometimes one if not more electrode needles through the skin into muscle tissue in order to record electrical activity of the muscles.

Physical Examination

A battery of joint tests to examine fluid collection (sweling) and range of motion especially in warm, red and tender (inflamed) joints.

Treatment Types

Decompression Laminectomy / Laminotomy

A laminectomy is a procedure that helps relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots which may cause spinal stenosis. This typically occurs when the spinal nerves end up pinched due to active narrowing of the spinal column. Often painful it can also cause numbness or weakness in the legs, back, neck and arms. This surgical procedure is done via an incision in the back where bone and tissue causing such pressure is removed and is effective in treating spinal injuries, herniated discs and spinal tumours.

Limb Knee Reconstruction

To restore the functioning of a limb or joint, reconstructive surgery may be required regardless if the deformity is of a congenital or acquired nature.

Corrective Spine Osteotomy

A spine osteotomy is an invasive procedure which requires a section of spinal bone to be removed to allow for spine alignment correction and is usually performed to correct any abnormal spinal curvature.

Total Knee Replacement

A surgical procedure where diseased (arthritic) parts of joints especially with artificial joint components (prosthesis) are completely replaced with artificial (total) ones. This procedure can be used to replace knee joints which have been affected by a wide variety of conditions such as acute osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, haemophilia, gout and knee related injuries.

Carpal Tunnel Release

When the carpal ligament is causing pressure on the median nerve, a surgical relief may be required. A carpal tunnel release surgery is usually performed through a small incision on the palm near the wrist or via a keyhole. This can be done on a daycare basis and carried out with local anaesthetic.

Tumour Excision

When tumours are present, a surgical procedure for its removal is carried out. The tumour is then sent for analysis to determine the correct path of further treatment.

Amputation

Sometimes surgery may require the partial or complete removal of a limb or extremity such as an arm, leg, foot, hand, toe or finger.

Discectomy

To treat herniated or slipped spinal discs, a discectomy is usually performed and involves the partial removal of the disc which is exerting pressure on the nerve. This can be done as an open procedure or through a keyhole of smaller incisions.

Knee Arthroscopy

This surgical technique helps diagnose and treat knee joint related issues via a small incision and insertion of a tiny camera. Images taken help surgeons to see the accurate problem and correct it if necessary through separate smaller instrumental insertions. Arthroscopy helps diagnose issues such as torn meniscus or misaligned patellas (kneecaps) and repair ligaments.

Trigger Finger Surgery

The repetitive grasping or gripping of certain objects is typically known as trigger finger and may cause a painful locking sensation in one if not more fingers. Two surgical options are available (open or percutaneous) and highly depends on whether the individual's palm is the cause of the affected tendon.

Total Hip Replacement

If hips are affected by disease such as arthritis, parts of the joints can be replaced with artificial components. This surgical procedure helps to reduce and alleviate joint pain, improve range of motion and help the patient maintain an active lifestyle comfortably.

List of Orthopaedic Conditions We Treat

Spine

- Degenerative spine condition

- Lumbar spinal stenosis

- Neck pain

- Nerve decompression

- Sciatica (pinched nerve)

- Scoliosis

- Slipped disc

- Spondylolisthesis (misaligned backbone)

Hands & Wrists

- Carpal tunnel syndrome

- De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (painful wrist condition)

- Ganglion cysts

- Hand arthritis

- Hand fractures

- Hand trauma

- Trigger finger

- Wrist ligament injury

Knees

- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury

- Anterior knee pain (runner's knee) / chondromalacia patellae (CMP)

- Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury

- Meniscus tear / knocked knee chondromalacia patellae (CMP)

- Knee arthritis

- Knee bursitis

- Osgood Schlatter disease

- Osteoarthritis (locked knee)

- Patella femoral syndrome (knee cap pain)

- Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) injury

- Patella tendonitis (jumper's knee)

- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury

Shoulders

- Cuff tears

- Frozen shoulder

- Rotator cuff injury

- Shoulder dislocation (chronic)

- Shoulder instability

- Shoulder tendonitis

Ankles & Feet

- Achilles tendonitis

- Arthritis

- Cartilage damage

- Diabetic foot problem

- Dislocation

- Fractures

- Gout

- Plantar fasciitis (foot pain)

- Sprains

- Tendonitis

Paediatric Orthopaedics

- Bowing of the knee (genu varum)

- Clubfoot -Dwarfism

- Greenstick fractures

- Growing pains

- In-toeing gait

- Limb length discrepancy

- Torticollis (wry neck)

Musculoskeletal Tumour

- Benign tumour

- Metastasis

- Primary cancers of the bones (bone tumour)

- Primary cancers of the soft tissues

Hips

- Hip arthritis

- Hip bursitis

- Hip dislocation (congenital)

- Hip fractures

- Lumbar pain

- Osteonecrosis

- Snapping hip syndrome

Sports Injury