The selection of the appropriate knee surgeon Melbourne should be based on knowledge about the meaning of additional education. In addition to five to six years of specialty education in orthopaedics after graduation from medical school, a knee surgeon usually has a knee or lower limb fellowship of one to two years. The surgical volume is focused on knee procedures only. This fact is important since the outcome of surgical treatment of complicated cases correlates with the number of similar cases operated by a surgeon.
A surgeon who is actively involved in teaching and scientific activities implements the evidence-based approach to decision-making in his practice. Professor Dr Vishal Pai works as a senior lecturer at Monash University and supervisor of trainee orthopaedic surgeons in Melbourne. Another orthopaedic surgeon Dr David Slattery has fellowships from the Royal Australian College of Surgeons and the Australian Orthopaedic Association, has published a lot of scientific papers on various issues of orthopaedic surgery and applies computer-assisted 3D navigation and robotic surgery techniques. The latter is a separate qualification that requires additional training.
Common Knee Conditions that Patients in Melbourne are Referred to a Knee Surgeon for
The most common cause of referring patients to a knee surgeon is osteoarthritis when the degeneration of cartilage leads to a narrowing of the joint space and the appearance of a bone-on-bone pain caused by limitation in activities such as going up stairs and walking long distances. Rheumatoid arthritis involves inflammation of the joint lining; it develops faster than osteoarthritis and may cause an early referral of a patient to a knee surgeon.
A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is common among active adults and can be treated arthroscopically by reconstructing the joint with a tendon graft. Dr David Sime, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, operates in Melbourne and performs traditional and robotic-assisted surgery for ACL injury and knee osteoarthritis. The meniscus tear is either a mechanical problems which do not require surgical treatment or a more complicated ones which are addressed with surgery or meniscectomy. Knee fractures usually require surgical internal fixation or replacement procedure.
What You Should Know Before Your First Visit to a Knee Doctor in Melbourne?
The first visit includes discussions about how long the symptoms have been present, what other forms of treatment have been tried already and what limitations of function there are. The physical examination will evaluate range of movement of the joint, its stability and the location of pain within the knee, all of which cannot be achieved through imaging. X-ray is ordered during or prior to the visit in order to assess the joint space and bone alignment, this is the one imaging test that is most valuable for assessing osteoarthritic knees. An MRI follows to assess the soft tissue components of the knee joint, the ligaments, the menisci and the cartilage, especially when a non-arthritic condition is being considered.
The visit should conclude with the explanation of the diagnosis made and the conservative treatment options that remain, as well as potential surgery, if applicable. A knee surgeon in Melbourne who recommends the surgery straight away without considering the alternative conservative options and answering your questions regarding it is probably someone you need to get another opinion from. Most people would prefer having a full picture of their options prior to deciding on undergoing surgery.
Insurance, Hospital Accreditation and Implications for Your Procedure
Mako robot accreditation is not available in all Melbourne private hospitals. Mr Soong Chua performs Mako robotic knee replacement surgery at Epworth Private Hospital in Richmond and at Epworth Eastern in Box Hill, which are both accredited for Mako. St Vincent’s Private Hospital recently bought multiple Stryker Mako robots and is one of the few Australian hospitals providing such a level of robotic services. Surgeons working at multiple hospitals will be able to consider the hospital of choice and insurance requirements, if any, into account.
WorkCover and TAC patients require experience in medico-legal reporting requirements, this is a qualification in addition to the purely clinical experience of the surgeon. Gaps paid by private health insurance vary a lot between surgeons, getting a written estimate is expected and should never be a problem for the surgeon’s office.
