A new anaesthetic has been trialled at Benenden Hospital that may allow hundreds of patients to be discharged just a day after having hip replacement surgery.
Andy Chandler, 69, from Rolvenden, Kent, was the first patient at the private hospital to have the Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) Block following his operation. Video footage shows him walking from his bed with the aid of a support frame just two-and-a-half hours after his hip replacement by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr William Dunnet.
Benenden Hospital is believed to be only the second hospital after Epsom, and the first private hospital in the UK to be trialling the new anaesthetic. It means that some patients can now be discharged just a day after surgery instead of the normal two to three days at present.
Andy’s case was featured as part of a presentation to the World Congress of Orthopaedic Surgeons on Friday (Dec 6).
Andy, a project manager, said: “This was the first time I’ve ever stayed in hospital so I was very nervous about having quite a big operation.
“To be allowed out after just one night was totally amazing because there’s no place like home. I’m now walking on crutches quite easily and I can manage the stairs.”
Benenden Hospital Consultant Anaesthetist Naj Bhaskaran said: “We want to adopt the most innovative and up-to-date anaesthesia techniques that lead to shorter hospital stays, patient satisfaction and an overall great outcome from their operation. Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) Block targets the sensory innervation to the anterior capsule from where the majority of pain sensation originates from. Among private hospitals, we already have one of the lowest lengths of stay for patients having hip replacements before this new anaesthesia which we hope will become standard procedure.”
Benenden Hospital was the first private hospital in the UK to be nationally accredited for providing the highest standards of care to patients in anaesthesic services. It was presented with the prestigious Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) from the Royal College of Anaesthetists in April.
Benenden Hospital is open to everyone including to those looking for self pay healthcare and carries out more than 500 hip and knee replacements every year.
To find out more about hip replacement surgery at Benenden Hospital, please complete our online enquiry form, contact us via Livechat or by calling our Private Patient Team on 01580 363158.
Published on 09 December 2019