Throughout this year Hospital Particular do Algarve will provide free medical checks for people who have had hip and knee replacement surgery over five years ago and who do not have medical monitoring.
“This screening, which is unprecedented in Portugal, is justified for the following reason: patients who have undergone hip and knee replacement surgery should undergo periodic monitoring, by an orthopaedic surgeon, with the use of radiological exams. The reason being that early detection of complications will avoid difficult surgical resolution which results in functional loss,” explains Dr João Paulo Sousa, coordinator of the Department of Orthopaedics and the Lower Limb Arthroplasty Unit of the HPA Health Group.
“It is estimated that in the last 15 years, approximately 5,000 prostheses of the lower limb have been performed in the Algarve. Most of these patients are not monitored for lack of indication or knowledge,” concludes Dr João Paulo Sousa.
Screening will take place at both the Alvor and Gambelas hospitals. Two X-rays will be performed, a physiotherapist will perform a functional evaluation and two orthopaedic surgeons will provide patients with a complete report of the condition of their prosthesis.
The Department of Orthopaedics and the Lower Limb Arthroplasty Unit of the HPA Health Group was established in 2010, with the mission of ensuring a positive experience and the best functional results after a hip or knee replacement surgery.
Our multidisciplinary team bases its practice on the best available scientific evidence, using methods and techniques that are considered the gold standard in this surgical area, with emphasis on:
■ Evaluation by MRI Imaging for made-to-measure prosthesis of the knee; cutoff blocks are made for each individual patient, which results in less time being needed for the surgery, consequently less blood loss and, most importantly, a quicker recovery;
■ High performance knee prostheses (Smith & Nephew, Cr / co or Verilast) are also adapted to the patient’s age;
■ Systematic monitoring of clinical and functional data; monitoring of any inflammatory result (necessary to detect any infection up to 90 days after surgery) and systematic preoperative and postoperative functional evaluation (day 3, day 30 and day 90).
This methodology has resulted in excellent results such as:
■ Average hospital admission – less than four days
■ Second surgical intervention or hospital admission 0% for knee replacement and less than 1% for hip replacement.
■ Infection rate close to 0%
■ The blood loss protocol which is followed has resulted in a very low blood transfusion rate (the last patient transfused in the primary knee replacement occurred in 2015)
■ The patients’ functional evolution is quantified as very positive, with significant improvement at the end of the first month on all levels evaluated: pain, stiffness, daily activities and gait.
Recognising the importance and necessity of periodic monitoring for patients after a hip or knee replacement surgery, even after a long period of time, our Department of Orthopaedics, led by Dr João Paulo Sousa, has decided to hold free screenings for these patients.
For information and appointments contact 707 28 28 28
Article supplied by the Hospital Particular do Algarve Group, with hospitals in Alvor and Gambelas (Faro)
