GAT Achievements - Here are some examples of items we've purchased (from top to toe!)

The Gloucestershire Arthritis Trust provides a lot of high-tech, state-of-the-art surgical equipment for use by the County's Orthopaedic Surgeons, where there is no other way such items can be made available. In some instances, such ground breaking medical tools are new to this country and represent the highest possible standard in such surgical instrumentation.

Mobile Ultra-Sound Machine £21,200 (for the shoulders)

This machine is for treatment on the shoulders, and is for use in the Clinic at Cheltenham General Hospital. Already a piece of equipment considered to be the norm in the United States and on the Continent, this new item is nevertheless something quite different in the UK. What normally happens in our country is that if anyone has a problem with, say, a torn tendon in the shoulder, they are sent off for a scan which can take between four and six months. This ultra-sound allows you to do a scan there and then with a very high degree of accuracy, and will give you the same result there and then on the day and you can then make a decision for the patient. It involves no radiation and involves no extra expensive staff to run it. It is beneficial not only in terms of time saved, but also in terms of efficacy, efficiency and minimal use of resource once the operating surgeon has learnt how to use it. CGH will use this for patients with arthritic shoulders. So versatile is it, however, it can be used to diagnose tears of the rotator cuff in younger people. The possibilities here for the prevention of arthritis developing in later life are enormous!

Midas Rex Drills £16,150 each (for the spine)

This "gadget" is particularly used in spinal surgery when the surgeon is wanting to remove pieces of arthritic bone from the spinal canal. It is used by the most dedicated spinal surgeons. The advantage is that it is quick, much more accurate, much less likely to cause any damage, and is really now becoming the gold standard for open spinal surgery. Practitioners are now discovering they can use this instrument for other applications, in particular removing pieces of surplus bone from a joint which is arthritic, and also for modifying positions of cups in hip replacements for example, where you can trim away very little bone and ensure the best possible operational procedure to facilitate the patient's easy recovery.

Artromet E Elbow Joint Therapy £3,300 (for the elbows)

This therapy works in conjunction with arthroscopy procedures. The Artromet equipment helps, post operatively to prevent the onset of arthritis. This has been purchased by GAT for Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Walter Lorenz Hand Set £7,000 (for the hands)

This set of very fine tools facilitates the delicate treatment of the small bones of the hand and wrist of an arthritic patient.

Explant System £5,500 (for the hips)

An increasing amount of some surgeons' work involves re-doing hips that have worn out through use. This is revision surgery. Some of the implants that were put in 25 years ago are still knocking about, but the great expansion in orthopaedic implant surgery about 15 years ago is now coming home to roost with an increasing number of revisions requiring doing. Until the discovery of this System we have now acquired, one of the problems was the removal of quite well fixed acetabular components. If these were uncemented, they were difficult to get out, and damage could be caused to the pelvis in the process. Then, Zimmer produced this extremely competent system for removal of these implants. The use of this system now in our local hospitals has revolutionised the quality of revision work, and reducing risk to the patient's overall well-being.

Anterior Cruciate Kit & Meniscal Stitcher Set £8,500 ( for the knees)

This equipment is the newest of its kind and makes knee surgery generally more successful in avoidance of the onset of arthritis. Since our purchase of this kit, this modern set of instruments, together with the special stitcher set has improved the ease with which surgeons have managed to minimise the risk of arthritis occurring.

Arthroscopic Power Shaver £26,500 (for the knees)

This major piece of equipment was supplied to the Day Surgery Unit at Tetbury Hospital. It is vital to addressing one of the main problems in orthopaedic surgery. The most common type of damage to the meniscal cartilage is a meniscal tear. These tears cause inflammation and small bits of the meniscus can break off from the main body. Both cause irritation to the articular cartilage, which encourages the onset of arthritis in the knee joint. The condition of the knee joints and meniscus can be seen using a rigid fibre-optic scope ( four of which GAT also provided for Tetbury recently). Meniscus, which has a ragged, frayed edge, can degenerate further with bits of meniscus coming away from the main body and floating in synovial fluid. This can cause pain and swelling as well as articular cartilage inflammation. A Power Shaver blade is inserted into the joint and can be used to shave and/or resects damaged meniscus. This can delay the onset of arthritis, reducing symptoms of pain and swelling and increase mobility.

Microdriv System £7,000 (for the feet)

The instruments in this system, now being used at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, are small but powerful for small joints. They are required to perform intricate surgery needed for work on ankles, feet and toes

The Gloucestershire Arthritis Trust has provided much Physiotherapeutic Equipment for our County's Hospitals.

Here are some examples:

Cryo Cuffs for Knees and Elbows £650 a set

This special therapy, involving cuffs applied to the joints and working together with a tube assembly and cooler system, stops swelling in joints following surgery and prevents a lot of post-operative pain. In our picture, an enthusiastic GAT supporter is "modelling" one of the cuffs!

Exercise Wall £4,500

The Wall is here being demonstrated by a member of the Physio Staff at Cirencester Hospital, where GAT presented this piece of equipment. The idea of the wall is to touch the lights as each one comes on, and to do this as fast as possible, the whole exercise making the patient reach and stretch and stoop and constantly transfer weight! It's a fun way to exercise!

Cyclotherapy Equipment £5,000 per cycle

This Uni-Cam Cyclotherapy Bike seen here being demonstrated by Physio Staff at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, was presented by GAT in recent months. The bike is a particularly versatile model. With green bands for all "right foot" fittings and red bands for all "left foot" fittings, the pedals and their settings can be changed to suit the individual, balancing correctly their requirements for each leg according to which one is damaged or recovering. A very sophisticated piece of machinery, the staff are pleased with it and patients are finding it very beneficial. GAT has also purchased Junior versions of this kind of therapy for children and young people who are patients at the Paediatric Physiotherapy Department at Cheltenham General Hospital, as well as at many other hospitals in the County.

Treadmill £6,500

This picture shows the Treadmill donated to Delancey Hospital being demonstrated in their Gym. This is designed to help patients recovering from orthopaedic surgery to exercise gently but firmly, strengthening muscles and building confidence of movement. The prompt attention to correct exercise after surgery on hips and knee joints, not only brings the possibility of pain relief to those who have suffered from arthritis, but can also prevent the further development of that disease in joints having undergone that surgery. The beauty of the treadmill idea is that it supports the patient completely, through the control of the harness to which the patient is attached, making sure that the body weight is kept off hips and knees while the healing process is taking place. The machine has several "speeds" , so that the patient can move at almost any rate, from a slow and gentle stroll to a brisk walk!.....the one place where you can walk for miles on the spot! There's even a mileometer to say how much distance you've travelled!

Hydrotherapy Equipment

GAT has bought Hydrotherapy Treatment from which patients of all ages have benefited enormously. One group, however, who have especially enjoyed the exercise this treatment provides, are children!

Special Beds

Our picture shows GAT making a presentation to Moreton District Hospital, of a special electric bed which cost £1,500. Another one, exactly the same, was also presented by GAT to Moore Cottage Hospital at Bourton on the Water. GAT has always tried to support local community hospitals. In present times, they need our support even more. While ever they are there, we shall support them! Wherever possible, we'll help to keep them there too!

Electro Thermal Generator

Here we see the generator's function being explained by a senior member of the Day Surgery Team at Tetbury Hospital, on the day this equipment was presented to them by GAT. This generator, costing £8,000, is the most versatile system available for arthroscopists, offering the widest range of tissue modification devices for temperature control, cutting and simultaneous soft tissue resection and coagulation ablation applications. The accompanying autoprobes increase accuracy, taking the guess work out of setting selection, as these probes "recognise" each specific set of requirements. In other words, this handy little machine provides "designer" treatment, especially for you!