About Jerry
Dr Jerry van de Pol is an orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in complex fracture surgery, lower limb reconstructions, ligament reconstructions and knee replacements.
Dr Jerry van de Pol has public appointments at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where he is also involved in the education of medical students and orthopaedic trainees, and the Prince Charles Hospital. He is a senior lecturer at the School of Clinical Medicine, University of Queensland where he also performs clinical research. He operates privately at the Mater Private Hospital and consults at Mater Private Clinics, Fourth Floor Surgery–a modern surgical practice, specialising in orthopaedic surgery and orthopaedic trauma surgery.
Fractures and Surgery
A fracture, or broken bone, often results from an injury or accident and can cause significant disability to a patient. Fractures range from small non-displaced cracks to severely broken bones with multiple pieces.
Some closed fractures are treated with a cast, while others need surgical repair or a fixation also known as an ORIF (open reduction and internal fixation). There are different methods to fix fractures, including pins, screws, plates, nails (rods) and external frames. Sometimes fractures don’t heal properly or heal in the wrong position. In those situations, deformities may occur needing further treatment including ‘re-breaking’ of the bone.
Knee Injuries and Ligament Reconstructions
There are four main supporting ligaments of the knee. They connect the tibia and femur, and stabilise and guide the knee during motion. These ligaments can be injured during sporting activity or in other accidents, leading to pain, swelling, and potentially a loss of stability. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured ligament. Absence of a functioning ACL due to injury may present itself as the knee giving way, particularly during twisting movements. Not every torn ligament needs surgery but in some situations it may be advisable to repair or reconstruct the torn ligament. This is usually done by taking a tendon or ligament from elsewhere and replacing the torn ligament with it. This is commonly known as a ligament reconstruction.
Arthritis and Knee Replacements
Arthritis is a condition which causes a degradation of the cartilage lining of the joint. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, catching, and fluid in the joint. The joint typically is less painful at rest, and painful with prolonged activity. Knee with arthritis may occasionally give way. In more severe cases, night pain may impair sleep and walking may be severely restricted. There are many different causes of arthritis, but the main type requiring operation is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a process of gradual wear and tear of the joint cartilage over a long period of time. In advanced stages of arthritis the cartilage is gone and bone-on-bone contact affects the joint. In these final stages, joint replacement surgery is often advised. For the knee, this can be either a Total Knee Replacement or a Partial Knee Replacement depending on which part of the knee is affected.
Arthroscopy and Meniscus Surgery
The meniscus is a crescent shaped structure that lies between the cartilage of femur and the tibia on each side (inside and outside) of the knee. The functions of the meniscus is to protect the cartilage by functioning as a shock absorber. Damage to the cartilage leads to arthritis in the knee. The meniscus also contributes to knee joint position sense and joint stability. The outer third of the meniscus, known as the “red zone” is well supplied with blood, and has healing capacity. The inner two-thirds is known as the white zone and has no blood supply and has diminished ability to heal. Meniscus damage can be from injuries (acute) or from general wear and tear (chronic). In most acute meniscus injuries repair or removal is advised through ‘key-hole’ surgery also known as arthroscopy. Arthroscopy uses small 1 cm incisions through which it is possible to repair a meniscus, reconstruct ligaments, remove loose bodies and even fix small fractures.