78-year-old bus driver back on school runs just two months after hip surgery thanks team at Ysbyty Gwynedd
26 November, 2024
A bus driver is back behind the wheel only two months after hip replacement surgery, thanks to the Orthopaedic team at Ysbyty Gwynedd.
Alun Roberts, 78, was admitted to Ysbyty Gwynedd in June 2024 after it was discovered he had suffered a fracture to his hip, leaving him in excruciating pain.
Mr Roberts, from Mynytho on the Llŷn Peninsula, suffered an injury during December 2023 whilst moving furniture at home that continued to get worse over the following months.
He said: “I thought it was a muscular injury but I was sent by my GP for an X-ray at Bryn Beryl Hospital and was then referred to Ysbyty Gwynedd.
“They discovered I actually had a fracture and I would need to have a hip replacement. I thought at the time when I heard this I was going to be out for months and I certainly wouldn’t be back at work until next year.
“Following surgery, I was amazed to discover how great I felt and how quick I was able to move around, I hardly had any pain at all.”
His surgeon, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Muthu Ganapathi carried out the operation using the anterior approach, a more minimally invasive way of carrying out this type of operation.
He said: “Hip replacements are amongst the most common surgical procedures in Orthopaedics and are traditionally done with a posterior approach or lateral approach. This involves cutting muscles and tendons.
“Using the anterior approach means the hip joint is entered in a truly minimally invasive manner with no requirement to cut tendons or muscles. As there is less soft tissue damage, there is less pain and allows early functional recovery.”
Mr Roberts was able to enjoy a walk up and down Nant Gwrtheyrn with his wife with ease only less than two months following his operation and returned to work just in time for the new school term in September.
He added: “I just want to say a huge thank you to Mr Ganapathi and the team on Ogwen Ward for the outstanding care I have received, it was incredible and I can’t thank everyone enough.
“I’d also like to thank Peter the Physiotherapist who provided me with the support following my surgery.”
Mr Ganapathi added: “We have only recently started using the anterior approach hip replacements at Ysbyty Gwynedd, it’s relatively new for us and at the moment we are only performing this on carefully selected patients.
“Our early impression is encouraging with patients recovering faster, such as Mr Roberts, than traditional approaches.”
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Koldo Azurza, who has also started performing anterior approach replacement said: “With traditional approaches, there are usually a number of restrictions following hip replacements to avoid dislocations. With this approach, there is very little restrictions as the risk of dislocation is very rare.”
A key priority of the Health Board is to improve waiting times for treatments and appointments across North Wales. While the use of new techniques to improve outcomes from surgery is a positive development for the Health Board there is still a large focus on reducing waiting lists within Orthopaedics.
Work on the new Orthopaedic Elective Hub in Llandudno Hospital is progressing well and when operational is set to transform elective orthopeadic services and provide benefits for patients, staff and the wider North Wales community, by delivering 1,900 procedures a year.
You can keep up to date with the progress on this project here