Development of intra and post operative solutions to aid recovery of patients in knee replacement surgeries

Patients undergoing knee replacement surgeries carry a significant complication rate of around 7 – 10 % including pain, joint swelling, stiffness and hemarthrosis post-operation [1,2]. With over 103,000 primary knee replacements in the UK in 2022 alone [3] the number of yearly patients experiencing complications are significant. This project aims to develop, test and implement, cost effective, multi-device solutions to address such complications. The successful candidate will fully investigate the core issues associated with complications post-knee replacement surgery, develop and design solutions including but not limited to customisable rigs to allow knee fixation at determined angles intra and post operation and work with patients to test out the devices and their effectiveness at impacting patient outcomes. In designing of the customisable knee positioning rigs, the successful candidate will need to consider the wide variety of surgical tools used during knee replacement, ensuring the designed jig can work with the wide variety of tools and surgical robots used. Careful consideration will need to be taken so that the rig can be customised to fit patients of all sizes, body shapes and abilities. The design should also be highly cost effective and easy to use and sterilise so as it can be used by a wider variety of surgical teams, be adopted more widely in healthcare settings and the NHS and therefore have a bigger impact on patient outcomes. The successful candidate will work closely with project partner and sponsor, the Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Charity (TORC https://torcni.org/) to liaise with expert consultant orthopaedic surgeons throughout the process, ensuring design is clinically relevant, easy to use and appropriate. Through TORC and Musgrave Park Hospital the successful candidate will recruit patients to trial designed solutions on, studying the effects of the solution and patient outcomes.