Dr David Wood specialises in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the knee. He has expertise in ligament reconstruction, patella disorders, replacement of knees and tibial osteotomy. He has a special interest in hamstring avulsions from the ischial tuberosity.
Knees are a marvellous invention and without them you could not easily kick a ball, kneel down or climb into a car. The knee’s meniscus is tissue designed to absorb the shock of weight and the motion of the body. Too much stress can injure this shock absorber. However, meniscal tears can be effectively treated with surgery and rehabilitation which means you can usually return to an active lifestyle. Learn more.
The function of the anterior cruciate ligament is to control the amount of twisting which can take place between the top part of the knee (femur) and the bottom part of the knee (tibia). The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is found in the centre of the knee joint and is often injured by a sudden strong twisting motion, eg losing control of your skis or falling off a ladder. Learn more.
Fasciotomy is the splitting of the tight layer of fascia surrounding each of the involved compartments. This allows the muscles to swell during exercise allowing free flow in the blood vessels.
It usually consists of releasing either the anterior, lateral and posterior compartment or all three at the same time. Learn more.
A high tibial osteotomy is usually performed for people who have osteoarthritis of the knee joint after many years of wear and tear or an old injury. It is usually performed on younger patients (30 to 60 years) who have osteoarthritis on the inside of their knee. This surgery is preferable to a total knee replacement when the patient is young and intending to return to an active lifestyle. Learn more.
A patellofemoral reconstruction or re-alignment is performed to correct recurrent instability, dislocation or “giving way” of the knee.
The patella or kneecap slides up and down a shallow groove (the trochlear groove) and is kept on track by ligaments and muscles. Mal-tracking, instability or giving way occur when the ligaments and muscles are either weak, too tight, torn, stretched, etc. Sometimes the patella pops in and out of the groove during motion, which is known as subluxation. Learn more.
Proximal hamstring tendon avulsion is a rare and often difficult injury to treat. Depending on the type of avulsion you may experience immediate disabling pain and weakness, extensive bruising, swelling, an inability to run or walk and/or discomfort or pain with prolonged sitting. Learn more.
The surgery to implant the prosthesis is termed a total knee replacement. Only the surface of the joint is removed. The arthritic ends of the bones are shaved off and replaced with new metal and plastic surfaces. The knee replacement recreates some, but not all, knee functions. Learn more.