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Take good care of yourself with City Life’s guide to healthcare in the capital
HEALTH & WELLBEING
CARDIFF BAY
Vale Healthcare launches Baby Hip Clinic
Vale Healthcare is pleased to announce the launch of a new Baby Hip Clinic service, providing a screening service for babies at risk of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.
This hip condition affects a significant number of children in the UK and refers to a spectrum of disease ranging from complete dislocation of the hip, through to some shallowness of the hip joint socket. If the condition is not identified then the child will have an increased risk of lifelong hip problems, which will usually require a hip replacement at a young age.
Although not life-threatening, the condition is hugely disabling in relation to quality of life. Currently there are several NHS tests in place to try and pick up the problem including a postbirth examination of the baby’s hips before leaving the hospital, and then a later examination by a GP at 6 - 8 weeks. Unfortunately there are no screening tests in place, and the above exam - inations are not ideal as can be very difficult to perform on a young baby. As a result, the more subtle problems can be missed which often means significantly later detection of problems, and worsened long term outcome.
Hip ultrasound is the gold standard for detecting hip problems in children under 4 months. It is quick, safe and well-researched, and is a compulsory test for all babies in most European countries including Germany, Switzerland and Austria, although not currently in the UK as standard. As a result of the screening in these countries, the rate of later hip dislocation and disability is significantly reduced.
Vale Healthcare Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Mr Phill Thomas and Mr Sandeep Hemmadi specialise in paediatric hip problems, and are delighted to now offer this screening service for babies under four months. The screening is available through both GP and self-referral routes, with GP referrals requiring the baby to be at ‘high-risk’ for this condition. Risk factors include:
■ Family history – any relative/sibling who has had a previous childhood hip problem
■ Breech position of the child during pregnancy
■ Oligohydramnios (low level of fluid in the womb during pregnancy)
■ Foot abnormalities at birth
■ First born, female sex
You can find out more about the Baby Hip Clinic by contacting Vale Healthcare on 029 2083 6714.
Vale Healthcare Hip MOT
Hip replacement is a major operation, so don’t let the lack of follow-up appointments cause you difficulties in the years following your op.
Most of us know a friend or relative that has had a hip problem, particularly in later life, which can often result in a Total Hip Replacement operation.
The majority of patients that undergo the operation are relieved of the pain and disability which has compromised their quality of life and even threatened their ability to live independently.
But follow-up appointments after the hip replacement surgery vary from surgeon to surgeon, with some surgeons discharging patients after one year and few patients being followed up in the long term. This is not good practice, particularly as the prosthetic hip will begin to fail after five to ten years, with many more failing after this time period.
In addition, the hip replacement failure may be unknown to the patient in the early stages, and when noticed at a later date it results in difficult and uncertain revision operations.
Recommended best practice from the British Orthopaedic Association is that patients are followed up both clinically and radiologically in the years after their operation. Follow-up appointments will identify patients that are at risk, and allow for an exchange/revision operation to be planned before any further deterioration occurs.
Vale Healthcare Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Alun John offers a ‘Hip MOT’ service at the Cardiff Bay Clinic for individuals that have undergone Total Hip Replacement surgery. This follow-up service will identify any failure of the prosthetic joint in its early stages before severe bone loss will increase the difficulty of revision surgery. It will also ensure that patients receive timely checks and assurance in their hip health in the years following the operation.
Vale Healthcare’s Cosmetics Clinic
Cardiff Bay Clinic Celtic Gateway,
Dunleavy Drive, Cardiff CF11 0SN
029 2083 6714
www.vale-healthcare.com
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