Hip replacement op... home the same day

The 37-year-old is thought to be the first patient in the country to have a hip replacement and leave hospital the same day.

Nicola, of Norfolk Close, was diagnosed with avasclar necrosis two-and-half years ago.

It is painful condition where the blood supply is cut off from the bone which eventually collapses.

It can occur anywhere in the bone, but most commonly affects the ends. In Nicola's case it was her hip.

She said: "It just came from nowhere. It made everything difficult and I had a job looking after my three-year-old.

"In the last few months, I had been on morphine.

"I had the operation on July 2 and it has been much better than before. I begged them (Conquest) to let me go home.

"I got out of bed within six hours and walked with crutches. Mr Hugh Apthorp was there to reassure me. Then I managed to walk out of the ambulance."

The consultant orthopaedic surgeon has been developing a technique so that patients only need a short stay in hospital.

Unlike the conventional method - a recovery time of five to seven days - this procedure makes a smaller incision which has many benefits.

There is less damage to the tissue which means less pain, less blood loss and faster recovery time.

The mum of four said: "They teach physio before the operation, and it hasn't been a problem.

"They made a cut of about 8cm in the front of my thigh and avoided cutting the muscles which is supposed to aid recovery.

"The after-care has been great. The outreach team in Hastings are always there for me. Mr Apthorp had come to see me before the surgery and twice after. He has been very supportive.

"He thinks it's going to last the rest of my life. The idea of a traditional hip replacement is very frightening.

"It has shown me that everything will be OK. I am actually looking forward to the future."

Mr Apthorp said: "We have been performing short stay hip replacement surgery for a few years now.

"This radical approach to this type of surgery involves a small team focused on the whole process tailored to suit the needs of each patient.

"We believe it is one of the first day case hip replacement procedures in this country.

"We have introduced pioneering technologies and surgical techniques which reduce the trauma of the surgery.

"Patients can now get up on the day of the surgery and in this case go home on the same day.

"Our patients are incredibly positive about the service we can now offer them and we hope we will be able to extend this day case service to other patients."