Trust celebrates its first day case hip replacement surgery

Our Trauma and Orthopaedics department at West Middlesex University Hospital is trialling how to improve services during COVID-19 by supporting some of our patients to have hip surgery and be discharged the same day.

Patient Sunny Dhall has become the first at the Trust to undergo day case hip replacement surgery, discharged from West Middlesex University Hospital just seven hours after surgery.

This will help to reduce the number of people waiting for treatments of this kind during a time which has created longer wait times due to COVID restrictions on planned care at hospitals across the country. However, this is not suitable for everyone and is measured by a number of key factors such as fitness and health, a strong support system at home and pre-existing medical history.

Day case hip replacement surgery limits a patient’s unnecessary exposure to other patients and staff during an inpatient hospital stay and encourages them to recover in the comfort and safety of their own home environment.

Arjuna Imbuldeniya, Consultant Orthopaedic Hip and Knee Surgeon, explained: “Patients tell me that their preferred place to recover and rehabilitate after hip and knee surgery is in the familiar surroundings of their own homes, and this is even more relevant since the COVID-19 global pandemic. The aim of the enhanced recovery team here at West Middlesex University Hospital is to facilitate this safely and effectively and keep fine-tuning the process to make it even better for our future patients. 

Following Sunny throughout his journey, we learned that he had suffered from crippling osteoarthritis in his hip which caused him disabling pain and lack of mobility at a young age.

After non-operative measures to help his hip symptoms did not work, he met with our orthopaedic hip consultant Mr Imbuldeniya and, after discussing the risks and benefits, they both agreed it would be worth him undergoing total hip replacement surgery. 

Typically, patients who undergo hip replacement surgery in the UK spend an average of around three nights in hospital to recover—this length of stay has been decreasing every decade.

There are newer anaesthetic techniques, less invasive methods of performing the surgery and better collaborative working between the different healthcare professionals involved, which can aid a patient’s recovery.

We spoke with Sunny after his first preoperative assessment: “The day surgery went very smoothly, the team were fantastic and took great care of me. My recovery has been amazing and much faster than expected and I feel the operation has definitely already improved my quality of life. Thank you, West Middlesex!”

Mr Imbuldeniya added: “Sunny is a motivated, fit gentleman and has been well-prepared for this by the team, but day case hip replacement is not suitable for everyone and no patient will ever be pressured into going home the same day.” 

"We are very proud to be one of the first among a few other NHS trusts in London to perform day case hip replacement surgery and have gained some important knowledge from units doing the same up and down the UK.”