A YOUNG man was left in agony with arthritis is able to move freely because of pioneering surgery at a North Glasgow hospital.

Stobhill Hospital is thought to be the first hospital in the health board offering same-day hip replacement operations.

William Clunas was fitted with a new hip in a matter of hours at the hospital last week.

The 29-year-old was taken into hospital on October 13, with arthritis in his right hip.

The pain was so excruciating that he had to take time off from work and was unable to move without extreme pain.

His first appointment was delayed because of lockdown but this month was able to go under the knife and get his hip fixed.

He said: “To have a full hip replacement and be back home on the same day is truly amazing. I can’t thank the team at Stobhill enough.

“They were extremely supportive in answering my questions, and ensuring I was comfortable and confident enough to head home.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to doing some of the normal things in life like taking my dogs for a walk with my wife, and hopefully when it’s safe to do so, getting back out to see the football at the weekend.”

The hospital has a team of specialists for the same-day turnaround surgery.

William was the first of a maximum of four people who can be treated under the new speedy system.

It comes as a welcome boon to the hospital, which is seeing increased strain on its time and resources because of the pandemic.

Paul Jenkins, orthopaedic clinical director at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “The one-day turnaround service for hip replacement at Stobhill is well suited to the current situation, and allows clinically appropriate patients to get their treatment without spending any additional unnecessary time in hospital. This allows us to focus on providing excellent clinical care while efficiently managing the backlog for surgery.

“William is the first of many patients who are now being routed through Stobhill for routine arthroplasty surgery such a hip-replacement and knee surgery. Patients will be contacted based on clinical priority and only if they’re able to fit the same-day treatment requirements.”

After his surgery on the Tuesday morning, William was able to take his first steps with his new hip with the help of a physio.

He said: “I met the surgeon on the Friday to talk me through the process. I got my Covid-19 test on the same day and I was scheduled in for the Tuesday morning after the weekend.

“It was less than two hours before I was back up in the recovery ward from the moment I went under for the operation. The staff were all amazing and professional, putting me at ease and answering any questions I had.”

He was discharged after the specialist made sure he could walk up and down stairs with crutches and has been recovering at home since.

The programme is based on the hospital’s partial-knee replacement service, which was established two years ago. Orthopaedic services were paused because of the pandemic but have now returned.