A woman from Sussex is the first in the country to try out a new knee replacement operation.

Eileen Taylor is now walking easily following surgery at the Nuffield Hospital in Chichester earlier this year.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mike Moss used a new type of knee implant specially designed to specifically suit the shape of a woman's knee.

The product was developed in the US and first started being used there a year ago. Surgeons have since gone on to treat 32,000 people.

Mr Moss is one of only six surgeons to use the implant in this country and carried out his first operation on Mrs Taylor back in March.

He has carried out two more since while the other surgeons have completed six others between them.

The Zimmer knee implant is made to fit the different shape and size of women's knees to offer a better-fit, provide more natural movement and potentially last longer than a traditional knee implant.

Mr Moss, who also works at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, said: "A woman's knee tends to be deeper than a man's and often the implants can be a little too wide, tight or bulky.

"The new implant is narrower and thinned out and fits much better.

"The operation and procedure for this is exactly the same as for an ordinary implant but the benefits are much better. This implant is based on years of research showing that a good implant fit is about shape as well as size.

"It is still early days yet and we have only done a few operations but we are confident this will become increasingly popular."

Mrs Taylor, 76, who is from Chichester, is a keen gardener but found arthritis in her knee prevented her from enjoying her favourite hobby.

She said: "The pain in my knee restricted my ability to walk or even stand for any period of time and as a result, I found it hard to do most things, which was very distressing.

"The improvement since my operation has been excellent. I am getting better daily and can bend my knee much better.

It is still early days but I'm already walking so much better than I did before my operation and the pain has reduced significantly."

Although the surgery is carried out at the Nuffield Hospitals, NHS patients from across Sussex can opt for the operation through the Choose and Book scheme where they can choose when and where to have surgery done.

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