Patients of many ages have increasing pain and reduced function in their joints due to conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and previous trauma. Joint replacement surgery is commonly required to treat these worn and damaged joints. In these procedures the damaged joint surface is removed and replaced with artificial surfaces normally made from metal (chromium cobalt alloy, titanium), plastic (high density polyethylene) or ceramic which act as alternate bearing surfaces for the damaged joint. These operations are common but major procedures which require the patient to be in hospital for several days and followed by a significant period of rehabilitation. Josh Kempthorne specialises in arthroplasty from his overseas training and adoption of new technologies such as MAKO knee navigation/robotic-arm assisted surgery.

A reliable and generally well tolerated procedure that removes pain and improves function of patients with painful arthritic hip. The diseased and damaged parts of the hip joint are removed and replaced with new ‘ball & socket’ articulation supported by a stem in the femur (thigh bone) and cup in the acetabulum (hip socket). Josh Kempthorne uses well proven and established implants with pre-operative templating to ensure optimal planning. And where appropriate offers additional MAKO navigation to improve accuracy and reduce likelihood of post-operative issues in patients with more complex disease.

This is a surgical procedure performed on a knee joint that has become painful and/or impaired because of disease, injury or wear and tear. Knee replacement can be total or partial, depending on the extent of the damage in the joint. In total knee replacement, artificial materials (metal and plastic) are used to resurface the articular surfaces of the lower end of the femur and proximal end of the tibia, then balanced with the bearing surface. This procedure is optomised for cutting accuracy, soft tissue protection and intra-operative assessment of balance with the MAKO navigation system (Robotic-arm assisted surgery) with an established reduction in pain, hospital stay and recovery time. This operation is a major procedure which requires you to be in hospital for several days and will be followed by a significant period of rehabilitation.

Most patients have a long and problem free experience with their joint replacement. But over time some joints start to fail and subsequently cause increasing symptoms. Reasons may include: Infection Bearing wear Aseptic loosening Dislocation Fracture Specialist review, workup will guide subsequent management which varies depending on the underlying cause.

Several small incisions (cuts) are made on the knee through which is inserted a small telescopic instrument with a tiny camera attached (arthroscope). This allows the surgeon to look inside the joint, identify problems and, in some cases, make repairs or remove damaged symptomatic tissue.

Josh Kempthorne is one of only a few surgeons nationwide that specialise in this area with only one other surgeon in Christchurch. Sarcomas are a rare cancer that account for only 1-2% of cancer presentations nationally. The workup is specialised and multidisciplinary with a wide range of outcomes and surgical managements. If you think you or your patient is suspected of having a sarcoma please let us know and we will coordinate workup and ongoing management.