A patient of Mr Kosuge recently underwent a knee replacement and was successfully discharged from hospital the day after his procedure. Please see a video* of his progress as an in-patient at Rivers Hospital.

Early discharge from hospital following total joint replacement surgery has started to gain acceptance. Prolonged stay in hospital can increase risks of hospital-acquired complications and with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a further reason to encourage early rehabilitation and discharge from the hospital environment.

In select patients with the correct education and support, along with a dedicated surgical, anaesthetic and rehabilitation team, it is very possible to get patients home early. The average length of stay in UK hospitals is between 3 to 5 days but Mr Kosuge is working with his patients and team to reduce this. It is no longer uncommon for patients to be discharged from hospital the day after their hip or knee replacements.

It is important for patients to understand that on-going support is present, in the form of rehabilitation that continues on an out-patient basis. Patients are reviewed regularly by the physiotherapy team after discharge from hospital. In addition, there is a mechanism by which patients can contact the ward for advice or queries.

*Patient consent was obtained for publication of this video.

The British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) have issued a statement for patients who have been waiting to have routine non-emergency orthopaedic surgery.

There is a useful FAQs section on their website which addresses many questions relating to COVID-19 and its effect on orthopaedic services.

Mr Kosuge is pleased to announce that The Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) NHS Trust have resumed routine non-emergency orthopaedic surgery:

• By collaborating with the local private provider, Rivers Hospital, orthopaedic operating for PAH patients commenced in June, albeit with reduced capacity.

• More recently, operating at The Princess Alexandra Hospital has resumed and this will help increase capacity so that we can reach as many of our patients as possible.

The effect of the ‘second wave’ of COVID-19 on these services locally is unknown at present but the ‘BOA are keen to ensure that in a second wave the normal care of our patients is only suspended as a consequence of absolute necessity.’