Pioneer surgeon drove ultra clean technology

And explains how his realisation that any subsequent infection may not appear until long after the operation, and that keeping bacteria away from the wound during the procedure is the the key to minimising the risk, led to the emergence of ‘ultra clean’ operating theatre technology – within which Howorth was an early pioneer.

Since its introduction in the 1960s, total hip replacement surgery has proved one of the most effective procedures in modern medical history – a true landmark in 20th century surgery. What was once a rare and risky operation has now become one of the world’s most performed elective surgical procedures, with over 70,000 people each year in the UK alone getting a new hip, and a new lease of life as a result. November 2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the development of the technique which revolutionised hip replacement surgery – a technique which has basically remained unchanged since then, and forms the basis for all modern hip implants. It was developed by a British surgeon – Professor Sir John Charnley, while he was working at Wrightington Hospital in Lancashire, a hospital which today remains a Mecca for orthopaedic surgeons.

Wrightington Hospital and the hip implant