
I most recently saw Dr. Culpan at the LIPS clinic in Battersea for a post-operative review, approximately 6 months after my surgery. As I have had a number of appointments with Dr. Culpan, before and after surgery, I will refer to my experience across all appointments, not just the most recent.
Earlier this year, I suffered an acute injury to my knee, presenting to Dr. Culpan with difficulty walking, alongside sharp pain and swelling. On initial examination, Dr. Culpan suspected a meniscus tear. Recognising the severity of my symptoms, he contacted his network to arrange an urgent MRI, which was booked in on the very same day. Then, once the MRI confirmed his initial suspicions, Dr. Culpan very clearly explained the exact nature of my injury and all the treatment options available to me. After conferring with a radiologist colleague, to be absolutely certain of the optimal course of treatment, Dr. Culpan presented me with his surgical plan alongside likely outcomes and timelines for my rehabilitation.
Having considered all of the information I was presented with, I carefully weighed up the costs and benefits of each possible course of treatment before ultimately concluding that surgery was the best choice for me. Dr. Culpan performed the surgery - an arthroscopy of the knee - at King Edward VII Hospital in London and, even though there was a potential complication in the shape of the damage to my knee being more severe than could be identified on the MRI, the operation went perfectly smoothly. As per his suggestion and in line with my wishes, Dr. Culpan took a minimally invasive and conservative approach, repairing the meniscus wherever possible and removing only the smallest parts which were beyond repair.
Even though my post-operative rehabilitation has been focused around physiotherapy, I have remained under Dr. Culpan’s care. Throughout this period, Dr. Culpan has been in close contact with my physiotherapist and has seen me at key checkpoints (e.g. 3 months, and 6 months post-surgery) to personally examine the state of my knee joint and to monitor my overall progress. Thanks to this, my rehabilitation has gone exactly according to plan so far and I hope to make a full recovery.
Overall, I am incredibly pleased with the treatment I have received and would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Culpan to anyone with a similar injury. I believe that what sets Dr. Culpan apart is his:
1. Communication: Throughout every stage of my treatment, Dr. Culpan clearly explained the medical context in an approachable way such that a non-expert such as myself could understand it. Moreover, he provided me with a comprehensive view of all the treatment options available to me as well as their costs and benefits. Both of these facts together meant that he enabled me to make an informed decision about what course of treatment would be best for me and my health rather than being told what to do.
2. Compassion: In my interactions with Dr. Culpan, what perhaps struck me most is how much he cares about his patients. When Dr. Culpan first recommended surgery, I was incredibly anxious and apprehensive as I had never had surgery before. When I shared these concerns with Dr. Culpan, he was incredibly sympathetic and understanding. Rather than dismiss my concerns as being irrational, he explained the procedure in great detail including, for example, how safe the procedure is and how routinely he carries it out. Thanks to this, my fears were allayed and I went ahead with the operation. Even though I believe that it was in my best interests to have the surgery, I doubt I would have gone ahead with it if not for the care that Dr. Culpan showed in this regard.
3. Concern: Dr. Culpan clearly understands the grave responsibilities of being an orthopaedic surgeon and the trust that his patients put in him. He demonstrated this to me through both his insistence on seeking a second opinion before deciding on an optimal treatment plan and the quality of his post-operative care. In the former case, when faced with inconclusive images produced by the MRI scan, Dr. Culpan chose to seek the counsel and expertise of a radiologist colleague rather than unilaterally decide on a treatment plan. In the latter case, with his close monitoring of the progress of my injury and my post-operative outcomes, Dr. Culpan showed that his concern for patients does not end once surgery is over.
Seen for:
Knee Arthroscopy