A new surgery technique for knee replacements has halved the average recovery time at a treatment centre.

The national average for hospital stays for people recovering from complete knee replacements is 6.4 days.

But at the Care UK-run treatment centre at King George Hospital, in Goodmayes, the average has been reduced to 2.8 days thanks to the use of spinal block anaesthetics and recovery programme rather than the conventional general anaesthetic.

Care UK’s clinical director of anaesthetics, Marco La Malfa, said: “We use anaesthetics that are very predictable and allow the patient to come around shortly after the operation.

“This not only cuts some of the issues people have when recovering from anaesthetics but also allows the physiotherapists to begin work quickly.

“Four hours after surgery, around four out of five patients are able to get out of bed for a brief period, giving them the confidence to begin physiotherapy the next day.

“The next two days are taken up with two or three sessions of physiotherapy a day and patients leave the centre two or three days after their operations.

"This latest reduction means that many of our patients are healthy and ready to go home and sleep in their own beds on the third day and sometimes even on the second day.”

One person to benefit from this is Aldersbrook resident Susan Griffiths, who needed surgery after injuring her knee while walking her dog.

The 72-year-old is back on her feet again after spending only two nights in hospital.

Mrs Griffiths said: “I am a bit of an anxious patient and when I heard that I would not be under a general anaesthetic during the operation I was relieved.

“The team in the ward and the operating theatre were very friendly and professional. The anaesthetist was very reassuring.

“I had the block and I was sedated and I felt comfortable and relaxed throughout the whole procedure.

“When I got back on the ward the team were excellent and came to chat to me regularly during my stay, which I appreciated.

“They explained to me that getting moving helped recovery – amazingly I was able to leave on the Monday in time to sleep in my own bed, which was a comfort.

“No matter how good a hospital is, I think we all feel more comfortable in our own home.”