Pyjama pocket pain relief for hip op patient

Father of three Robert Brown was just 47 years old when he had to make the difficult decision of whether or not to have a hip replacement.

A year ago he experienced pain in his groin, which worsened over time. Robert, a production works manager from Leeds, has a physically active job, which also involves a lot of travel. The pain was impacting all aspects of his life and he reached the point where he decided he had to do something about it.

“I had difficulty putting on my shoes and socks and the pain was stopping me from sleeping at night. Some days were really bad. I was walking more like a 70 year old, taking short steps. It’s hard when you are only 47 and you cannot run around and be as active as you want to be, but it was a dilemma. Do you do something about it or do you wait until you lose your mobility?”

He was referred to Martin Stone, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Spire Leeds Hospital who diagnosed ‘end stage osteoarthritis’.

“It is beyond the stage that painkillers, injection or physiotherapy can control the pain,” said Mr Stone. Robert had hip replacement surgery at Spire Leeds Hospital using a spinal anaesthetic with mild sedation last December. During the surgery he also had an innovative pain control system fitted called PainKwell. It delivers anaesthetic directly to the targeted area to reduce the pain for the next 48 hours following surgery.

Spire Leeds Hospital was the first private hospital in the UK to adopt the PainKwell technique, which involves a portable pump that sits inside a pyjama pocket, a regulator to control the flow rate and a fine plastic tube, which passes directly into the new hip joint.

“It’s the best painkiller I have ever experienced. I felt no pain at all in the days following surgery when I carried it around with me,” said Robert. The pump was removed two days later when he was discharged from hospital. He returned to work four weeks later and other than a slight ache, his hip felt great. Six weeks later he was completely pain free and walking without a stick and without any limp.

Robert says his life has improved considerably. He is looking forward to recovering fully so that he can have a kick about with his 12-year-old son Oliver who plays football for Bradford City Academy. He also plans to have his other hip replaced later this year.

Hip replacements are usually carried out between the age of 60 and 80, but Robert Brown represents a growing number of younger patients eager to return to activities and careers that a decade ago they may have considered leaving altogether.

Due to advancements in technology, minimally invasive procedures and accelerated recovery, the benefits can outweigh the risks for younger people to undergo the procedure.