Celebrating 100th day-case surgery on ward
Date of release: 17 October 2024
Celebrations marked the 100th day-case joint replacement on a hospital ward in Cannock – on the same patient who had the first such procedure there.
Staff on Hollybank Ward, back row, from left: Karen Scott, Julie Dale, Lisa Kelsey, Francesca Carissimo and Roman Meed; front row, from left: Pamela Boyd and Gemma Parr
John Greybanks, 71, received a new right shoulder on 5 September 2024 after having a new left hip on 21 March 2022 at Hollybank Ward at Cannock Chase Hospital, part of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT).
The father of two and grandfather of three also had his left shoulder replaced there about a year ago – and now plans to have a new knee!
Reaching the milestone means dozens of patients have been given a new lease of life, with new hips, shoulders and knees following the shortest hospital stay.
Hollybank is where all Orthopaedic elective day-case joint replacement – known as arthroplasty – patients are taken following surgery.
Mr Khaldoun Bitar performed John’s historic hip replacement while Mr Adrian Simons replaced both his shoulders – two of 35 of the 100 that Consultant has performed.
Between them, six Consultants have performed the 100 successful day-case joint replacements at Cannock – Mr Bitar, Mr Ejaz Mughal, Mr Gopalakrishna Pemmaraju, Mr Simons, Mr Shanaka Senevirathna, and Mr Daniel Banks.
Sara Finazzi, Ward Manager on Hollybank, said: “To have done 100 day-case joint replacements here is a huge success story.
“When I first started working in Orthopaedics many years ago, patients were in hospital for up to two weeks following this type of surgery, so we have moved forward massively.”
From left, Mr Adrian Simons, patient John Greybanks and Daniel Thurston, Trauma and Orthopaedic Registrar, are all smiles after the 100th joint replacement surgery at Hollybank Ward
Mr Simons said: “Day-case arthroplasty (joint replacement) is not suitable for every patient. But for those that are fit, and have good home support, sleeping in their own bed gives a much better patient experience, and sets them on the road to a successful outcome.
“The key to this is an excellent local anaesthetic block which abolishes almost all pain for the first 24 hours or so.
“In my case it is the close collaboration with the excellent Anaesthetist Dr Anil Singh that has allowed this patient to be our 35th day-case shoulder replacement.”
John, from Pendeford, Wolverhampton, who is married to wife of 51 years Katherine, 70, said: “It’s been absolutely fantastic – I can’t be more pleased or praise the staff enough.
“Hollybank Ward is superb – the Nurses are great, the Consultants are top notch and I couldn’t have asked for any better.
“My shoulder is fine – just like the previous operations, and my hip. I’ve been to physio a couple of times and I’ve had no trouble at all.”
Sara added: “It’s a significant procedure to go through because the patient must have the right support system at home when they are discharged.
“The success of it being a day case very much depends on the patient and his or her co-morbidities, the anaesthetic risk and the set-up at the patient’s home.
“For Nurses, dealing with day cases is more intense as one Nurse has to be allocated to that patient.”
Arriving at hospital at 7am, the day-case patient will be first into theatre at about 8.30am for the procedure, which will take one and a half to two hours, including recovery.
Before they can be discharged from Hollybank, which is open until 8pm, patients must have:- regained sensation
- the right pain relief
- had physiotherapy – including climbing the stairs with elbow crutches
- eaten and had a drink
Sarah Winter, Matron on Hollybank, said: “Patient outcomes are better. A shorter hospital stay means the patient is back in their home environment quicker, which means a faster recovery.
“It’s better for the hospital too because we can see more patients quicker and therefore reduce waiting times.
John, a retired contracts manager for a building firm, has an appointment with Mr Banks about a knee replacement next month.
ENDS
- For further information, please call Tim Nash on 07714 741097 or email tim.nash2@nhs.net
