Surgical first for Stracathro Hospital

The procedure was the first at Stracathro following a successful trial at Ninewells last year.

Jon Ragan, 62 from Dundee, was admitted to the surgical unit for a right total knee replacement last week. Most people having this operation would spend several days in hospital, but for some patients it is possible to have the procedure safely and effectively and be discharged home all in a single day.

NHS Tayside’s orthopaedic department introduced a new enhanced recovery approach to allow same-day discharge for hip replacement surgery in November 2021, and a similar approach was then developed for knee replacement.

Jon is the first patient to have a day case knee replacement at Stracathro following a successful trial at Ninewells last year.

He said: “I’ve suffered from arthritis for many years and this is my second knee replacement this year. I was able to be discharged the following day. However, I had to be pushed around for a couple of weeks before I was back on my feet.

“This time I went in at 9am and was out by 6pm the same day, just in time for tea! The recovery has been much quicker and I’ve been getting about great on my crutches. I was walking in the hospital and able to go out shopping after just two days.

“I’m feeling great and can’t wait to get back on the golf course soon. I honestly couldn’t say enough good things about Stephen and the whole team who looked after me so well. It’s shown me that there’s more to life than being in pain and I’m looking forward to the future.”

The procedure was performed by Stephen Dalgleish, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and clinical director of the orthopaedic department.

Mr Dalgleish carries out knee replacements without tourniquet around the thigh, which used to be applied routinely during surgery, and this has been shown to reduce post-operative pain, help the patient’s range of movement and speed up functional recovery.

He said: “Credit is due to the hard work of the multiple teams who have helped develop these pathways and make it a reality. I am absolutely delighted that Jon is making great progress with his recovery.”