South Hams Lifestyle Feb - Mar 2020

Very First for South
West! – Surgical
Computer Navigation
System introduced by
leading Orthopaedic
Surgeon Mr Andy
Murphy at Plymouth’s
Nuffield Hospital
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Arthritis is not inevitable! And….did you know as well as hip
and knee, you can also have a shoulder replacement?!
We speak to
Andy Murphy,
Consultant Surgeon
in Orthopaedics at
the Nuffield Health
Plymouth Hospital.
He has a busy
practice with a
significant trauma,
reconstructive and sports injury, especially
in shoulder and knee problems – it
encompasses complex and revision cases
referred from colleagues in Plymouth and
from around the Southwest.
Mr Murphy, most people accept arthritis
as something they can’t do much
about – how can you help alleviate
symptoms?
Arthritis is not inevitable! I see many
patients who have been told by wellmeaning
doctors, physiotherapists and
surgeons that they should rest their
shoulder or knee if they have arthritis as
this will prolong its life - the opposite is
true: keeping physically fit and mentally
active, taking the occasional mild
painkiller and exercising within the limits of
discomfort is much better for early arthritis
in any joint, as well as keeping your heart,
lungs and bones strong.
At what point does knee or shoulder
pain become something that might
require surgery?
Arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) can be very
helpful for more intrusive arthritis of the
shoulder or knee – there are many things
we can do to reduce the symptoms,
alleviate pain and restore movement. If
you find your sleep is becoming regularly
disturbed and you’re regularly reaching for
painkillers and avoiding activities that you
love that’s the time to see a specialist.
You are at the medical forefront with
your computer-navigated shoulder
surgery – can you tell us more?
Shoulder replacement surgery is one
of the most technically demanding
operations. Surgical computer navigation
systems have been available in the US
and EU for a few years but are not yet
in regular use in the UK. I was fortunate
enough to see these state-of-the-art
systems being used during recent visits
to Madrid and Geneva and I was thrilled
to be the first surgeon to bring this
technology to the South West last year.
We use a CT scan of the worn-out
shoulder joint to create a digital 3D model.
This allows the surgeon to understand
the complex anatomy of the shoulder
as never before: using advanced
computer software, we can then plan for
pinpoint accuracy when implanting the
components of the new shoulder, with a
real-time view of the bony anatomy and
implants during surgery.
This type of shoulder replacement is a
major undertaking for both patient and
surgeon, but this very latest technology
means that complications can be
minimised and so should increase the
longevity of the new shoulder joint.
About 5000 shoulder replacements are
carried out each year in the UK, compared
to more than 50,000 in the US. I believe
that many more patients could be helped
with surgery if only the technology was
more widely available. This is a really
successful operation for the vast majority
of patients: I have personally carried
out hundreds of shoulder replacements
and often patients tell me that their new
shoulder has given them a new lease of
life, allowing them to resume physical
activities such as golf, sailing, walking,
yoga, tennis, windsurfing, diving and
paddle boarding. Just as important is the
confidence they feel and the ability to
carry out daily activities and chores around
the house and garden without pain.
Contacts:
Mr Andy Murphy
MSc MFSEM FRCSEd
FRCS(Trauma&Orth)
PA: liz.binding@btconnect.com
Tel 01752 702 096
Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital, Derriford Road,
Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BG
Telephone 0300 131 1422
www.nuffieldhealth.com
46 | www.southhamslifestyle.co.uk