Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgery

These are two areas of specialisation are often related as they can be caused by trauma, accidents, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders. Orthopaedic specialists deal with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system and may use both invasive surgical and non-invasive as well as non-surgical means to correct and treat the problem.

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.

List of Orthopaedic Conditions We Treat

Shoulders

- Cuff tears

- Frozen shoulder

- Rotator cuff injury

- Shoulder dislocation (chronic)

- Shoulder instability

- Shoulder tendonitis

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

Sports Injury

- Degenerative spine condition

- Lumbar spinal stenosis

- Neck pain

- Nerve decompression

- Sciatica (pinched nerve)

- Scoliosis

- Slipped disc

- Spondylolisthesis (misaligned backbone)

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

Hips

- Hip arthritis

- Hip bursitis

- Hip dislocation (congenital)

- Hip fractures

- Lumbar pain

- Osteonecrosis

- Snapping hip syndrome

Musculoskeletal Tumour

- Benign tumour

- Metastasis

- Primary cancers of the bones (bone tumour)

- Primary cancers of the soft tissues

Elbow

- Dislocation

- Golfer's elbow

- Tennis elbow

Treatment Types

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Types of Diagnostic Tests

Physical Examination

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

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.

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).