Dr Nick Hartnell

Dr Nick Hartnell is an Orthopaedic Surgeon located in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Dr Hartnell has a surgical practice in Bowral and in the Campbelltown/Camden areas and will be providing specialist knee surgical care at Shellharbour Private Hospital from 2020.

He specialises in the care of patients surgically while still having a strong belief in the art of non-operative management.

Dr Hartnell completed a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the Sydney University in 1995. He then went on for his intern year at the Canberra Hospital. Since that time he has been fully focused on orthopaedic training and specialisation.

Knee replacement

Mobility is something many of us take for granted. Occasionally some of us develop joint pain that can deeply affect our enjoyment of a full and active lifestyle. There are many therapies for joint pain. Joint replacement is a highly effective way of relieving joint pain and correcting a deformity.

For patients with advanced or end-stage arthritis, knee replacement surgery is commonly performed.

When the knee joint coating or gliding surface (articular cartilage) is damaged, and is unable to be treated by medicine alone, a knee replacement will be discussed with you. Ordinary daily activities such as walking or climbing stairs may become difficult, depending on the amount of damage. Deformity may also be caused by trauma to the knee joint cartilage and bone.

As knee joint deterioration becomes worse, “knock-knee” or bow-legged deformities and unusual knee sounds (crepitus) may become more noticeable. Damaged cartilage or gliding surface, as well as any loss of bone structure is replaced during knee replacement surgery.

Advances in 3D scanning and printing allow us to create a bespoke (customised) joint for your replacement surgery.

Innovation

Bionic hand - Exciting research and innovation in the medical field are part of Dr Hartnell’s practice. He is the Australian distributor of the TASKA, a robust, flexible and waterproof bionic hand which has given upper limb amputee patients the return to high level function.

This advanced design allows users to perform what should be simple tasks, such as wash their hands, brush their teeth and use a computer mouse. Dr Hartnell’s commitment is to ensuring the best outcome for patients who have had the misfortune of losing a hand to either trauma or disease.

Kangaroo tendon graft - In conjunction with Sydney University Dr Hartnell has identified the kangaroo tendon has three times the mechanical strength of the human knee ligament (ACL). It is anticipated that the use of the kangaroo tendon for an “off-the-shelf” application will greatly benefit surgeons and patients worldwide. It is anticipated this ligament could provide solutions to not only the knee, but also the shoulder, ankle, hand and foot. The innovation of a 3D printed screw as the anchor is combined with this project.