Precision and Teamwork: Computer Alignment for Hip Replacements

Traditional hip replacement relies on a surgeon’s skill and experience to manually place the implant. While highly effective, this method can be further enhanced by modern technology. At Orthopaedic Innovation, we utilise advanced computer alignment planning to achieve a new level of precision.

• Software-Assisted Planning: Using pre-operative scans, our team creates a detailed, digital model of your hip joint. This virtual environment allows us to meticulously plan the entire operation.
• Optimal Implant Selection: We can virtually 'trial' different implant sizes and positions to select the components that best fit your unique anatomy.
• Enhanced Accuracy: This digital blueprint guides the surgical team in achieving the precise placement, size, and orientation of the implant, which is crucial for optimal joint stability and longevity. In fact, studies show that computer-assisted surgery can improve the accuracy of implant positioning and limb alignment - see this publication from PubMed1. This level of precision can help reduce the risk of complications such as dislocation and leg length discrepancy.

While some studies are still debating whether this leads to a major long-term benefit in function and implant longevity, the technology provides a predictable and highly personalised surgical plan before the procedure even begins.

While advanced technology provides the blueprint, it is the surgical team's expertise that brings it to life. Orthopaedic Innovation’s dual-surgeon approach is a cornerstone of our practice.

Our commitment to a personalised and expert-led approach is exemplified by our lead surgeons, Dr. Kristian Kley and Professor Adrian Wilson. This dual-surgeon team brings a wealth of experience and innovation to every procedure, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and a collaborative environment.

Meet Our Lead Surgeons

• Dr Kristian Kley: As a distinguished consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Kley developed the Kley Rapid Hip approach. He is renowned for his expertise in minimally invasive techniques and highly efficient surgical workflows that serve as a model for others.
• Professor Adrian Wilson: An internationally recognised knee surgeon, Professor Wilson is a pioneer in advanced orthopaedic techniques. He is known for his work in joint preservation and his innovative All-Inside technique for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) repair.

By working together, Dr Kley and Professor Wilson provide a unique blend of surgical skill, peer-reviewed decision-making, and deep experience with advanced technologies. This collaboration ensures every patient benefits from a team-based approach focused on safety, precision, and an optimal outcome.

Having two expert surgeons co-lead the procedure offers a distinct advantage:

• Enhanced Focus: It allows the lead surgeon to be totally focused on the operation, undistracted by other activities in the operating theatre. This intense concentration is essential for executing the precise movements planned in the pre-operative stage.
• Quality Control: A second surgeon provides an additional layer of quality control, offering a peer-reviewed perspective on each critical step of the operation.

Increased Efficiency: Studies like this one by UCSF2 in other complex orthopaedic procedures, such as spinal surgery, have shown that a dual-surgeon team can work more efficiently, which may lead to a shorter surgical time and reduced blood loss. A shorter surgical time is a key factor in faster recovery and lower complication rates.

At Orthopaedic Innovation, we don’t view computer alignment planning and surgical expertise as separate entities; we see them as two halves of a single, powerful process. The technology provides the roadmap for a perfect alignment, while the dual-surgeon team, with their combined experience and intense focus, provides the skill and precision to follow that roadmap flawlessly.

This synergy between advanced planning and human expertise is what sets our hip replacement procedures apart. It is a philosophy driven by our commitment to patient safety, optimal outcomes, and a confident return to an active life.

Our commitment to precision begins long before the patient enters the operating theatre. Professor Adrian Wilson, one of our lead surgeons, demonstrates a key part of this process: virtual surgical planning. On a digital screen, a calibrated X-ray of a hip joint is displayed. 

Overlaid on this image is a detailed "Virtual Surgery" plan, showing the precise alignment, size, and positioning of the planned implant. This digital blueprint ensures that the entire surgical team has a clear, collaborative roadmap for the procedure, helping to guarantee accuracy and a personalized approach for every patient.