Arthritis can be a normal part of ageing but for people whose quality of life is impacted, treatment such as surgery is readily available. Joint replacements, including those in the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hands, can have life changing outcomes, enabling people to get back to doing the things they love - like handicrafts or golf. Gold Coast Private upper limb surgeon David Stabler said once people had to stop doing things they enjoyed, or were having difficulty with every day tasks, they should be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon.
Treatment for ankle arthritis has taken a step forward, with improved outcomes for joint replacement surgery instead of traditional fusion procedures, according to orthopaedic surgeon Danielle Wadley. Dr Wadley said while other orthopaedic procedures, such as hip and knee replacement surgery, had shown successful outcomes for many years, the complexity of the ankle joint required a different approach.
Back pain relating to the spine can be one of the most complex issues to treat, but South Coast Spine surgeon Dr Neil Cleaver has been successfully performing disc arthroplasty to improve the condition for more than a decade.
Minimally-invasive techniques in bunion surgery are relatively new to Australia but foot and ankle surgeon Sonja Schleimer has years of experience after training in Paris under one of its pioneers. "MIS bunion surgery evolved in Europe over the last 15 years but it has only been available in Australia for about the last five years or so," said Dr Schleimer.
The fingertip is a sensitive organ that keeps us in touch with our surroundings, can tell hard from soft, hot from cold and can tap a text message to a friend - so, while fingertip injuries may seem innocuous, if they heal wrong, they can seriously affect hand function. This is why hand surgeon, Randy Bindra, goes to great lengths to preserve them.
Gold Coast Private has advanced state of the art robotic technology giving surgeons the option of performing robot-assisted surgery in the areas of orthopaedics, ENT and neurology. Orthopaedic lower limb surgeon, Andrew Letchford, offers robotic surgery for hip and knee joint replacement, giving him the ability to more accurately plan and execute surgical plans in the operating theatres at Gold Coast Private Hospital.
Onsite rehabilitation and direct communication with therapists is streamlining patient care and giving orthopaedic surgeon Angelo Rando the ability to develop, individualise and modify treatment plans without delay to optimise results. The Gold Coast Private upper limb surgeon has the longest-standing multidisciplinary team on the Coast with his hand therapist of 13 years and a physiotherapy team to look after his shoulder patients.
Carpal tunnel surgery can be life changing and the benefits of keyhole methods are making this procedure even more patient-friendly with less pain, less downtime and lower overall costs. Gold Coast Private orthopaedic upper limb and hand surgeon, Michael Kalamaras, said he performed keyhole carpal tunnel surgery through a small incision in the wrist, rather than the traditional approach through the palm, making it easier to recover and maintain use of the hand during recovery; and allowing both hands to be done simultaneously.
Gold Coast Private orthopaedic surgeon Stephen Sprague says a contemporary approach to hip replacement surgery is improving short-term recovery outcomes and increasing long-term mobility for his patients. Hip joint replacement surgery is traditionally done via a posterior approach through the back of the hip, but after training in the anterior method eight years ago Dr Sprague prefers the alternative.
Tens of thousands of people undergo back surgery in Australia each year, but according to a Gold Coast Private surgeon 'tools, technology and technique' are only part of the equation if you want a good outcome. Assistant Professor Mario Zotti believes patient engagement, accurate diagnosis, health optimisation and careful surgical planning must combine to ensure patients get the best result.