"We pride ourselves in having the skills and knowledge in the North East to make a real difference to people experiencing hip pain and discomfort."
Mr Ajay Malviya, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
It’s official Newcastle has one of the hippest hospitals in the country with people coming from far and wide just to be seen by one of its consultants.
Patients are travelling hundreds of miles to Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital to benefit from the specialist surgical care being delivered by Mr Ajay Malviya, who performs a medical procedure known as a Peri-Acetabular Osteotomy…or to make it easier to say a hip PAO.
Mr Malviya uses a ‘unique’ minimal invasive approach, which requires specialist equipment. The standard technique usually leaves the patient with a large pelvic surgical scar but with Mr Malviya’s method there’s a more cosmetically pleasing scar of around 8-10 centimetres. In addition, this technique leaves patients with less blood loss, fewer complications and earlier recovery time of up to 10 to 12 weeks.
Very few hospitals in the country provide hip PAO services especially in the volume produced in the Northumbria region. The operation is rarely offered privately outside of the nation’s capital, which is why people are happy to venture from all over England including places like Leicestershire and Cumbria to see if Mr Malviya can make a difference to their lives.
According to the Non Arthroplasty Hip Register (NAHR), Northumbria is one of the largest deliverers of hip PAO surgery procedures in the land, second only to London.
In a nut shell, a Peri-Acetabular Osteotomy (hip PAO) is designed to preserve, protect and improve the movement of the hip joint, which in turn will alleviate any pain and give the hip longevity for years to come. The condition can affect people young and old with women more likely to develop the complaint with a ratio of 8:2 with some patients developing the symptoms of hip dysplasia in their early 20s and 30s. People tend to experience pain, clicking, weakness and limitation of activities.
This is a complex operation in one of the most critical areas of the pelvis, where the bone needs to be safely cut and realigned. Important nerves and blood vessels which supply the leg are in close proximity and stand a risk of getting damaged, meaning expert techniques are required to make the operation safer for the patient.
The award-winning Nuffield Health is one of the leading not-for-profit UK healthcare organisations, operating 31 hospitals, 111 fitness and wellbeing clubs, medical clinics and diagnostic units across the UK.
Mr Ajay Malviya, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, has worked at Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital for over six years. He also has an NHS practice in the region. He said: “I’m always honoured to hear about people making 400-mile round trips to visit Newcastle for their hip operation at Nuffield Health Newcastle. We pride ourselves in having the skills and knowledge in the North East to make a real difference to people experiencing hip pain and discomfort.
“The hip joint is one of the most important joints in the human body, requiring regular exercise and TLC. It takes a great deal of wear and tear during its lifetime, which is why when it requires some crucial attention, your choice of action can have a knock-on effect in later life. We want people to enjoy themselves for as long as they can, walking, running and remaining active for years to come!”
For further information about the work of Mr Malviya please visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/consultants/mr-ajay-malviya and for details about Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/newcastle-upon-tyne.
