Innovative Orthopaedic & Reconstruction Techniques

Shoulder arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to diagnose and treat shoulder joint issues, such as rotator cuff tears, labral tears, and chronic instability. By utilising a small camera (arthroscope) and miniature instruments through tiny incisions, surgeons can repair soft tissue with reduced pain, minimal scarring, and faster recovery times compared to open surgery.

Led by Dr Le Trong Phat, a surgeon with nearly three decades of international experience, the team manages complex shoulder injuries – including combined ligament tears, instability, and post-traumatic damage – using advanced arthroscopic techniques refined through years of practice in Europe.

One of the primary benefits of arthroscopic shoulder surgery is its ability to directly address the underlying causes of shoulder pain. Conditions like torn rotator cuffs or damaged cartilage can lead to severe discomfort and limited function. Through arthroscopy, surgeons can repair these tissues, remove bone spurs, and eliminate inflamed bursae, directly targeting the source of pain. This focused approach alleviates pain and minimizes the risk of further injury, providing a long-term solution rather than a temporary relief.

Arthroscopic surgery plays a crucial role in improving shoulder mobility. By repairing damaged tissues and removing obstructions within the joint, the surgery restores the shoulder’s natural movement and flexibility.

The normal shoulder is a marvel of mobility and stability. It provides more motion than any other joint in the human body. Recurrent shoulder dislocation, characterised by repeated episodes of the shoulder joint slipping out of its socket, can significantly impact an individual’s daily life and overall well-being. These repeated episodes of shoulder instability usually follow an initial anterior shoulder dislocation, with a significantly higher risk observed in younger patients.

This condition is caused by a “Bankart lesion” which is a tear of the labrum, associated with damages of the joint capsule and supporting ligaments.

Arthroscopic Bankart Repair Surgery is a minimally invasive surgery used to repair and stabilise the shoulder joint. The procedure is typically performed as an outpatient surgery that involves inserting a camera through small incisions to view internal structures, and using anchors and sutures to reattach the labrum to the glenoid bone.

Shoulder arthroplasty, is a procedure designed to relieve pain and restore function in a damaged or deteriorated shoulder joint. The procedure involves replacing the damaged parts of the shoulder with a prosthetic implant, allowing smoother movement and improved quality of life. This surgery is commonly performed on individuals suffering from arthritis, severe fractures, or other degenerative shoulder conditions that affect daily activities.

The shoulder joint is a ball (Humeral Head) and socket (Glenoid) joint. A Total Shoulder Replacement replaces the ball and socket with an artificial joint.

The result is not simply pain relief, but a meaningful restoration of movement — allowing patients to return with confidence to daily activities and regain their independence.

Who Can Benefit from Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Shoulder replacement may be suitable for individuals who:

• Experience chronic shoulder pain that interferes with daily activities, such as dressing, reaching, or lifting objects.
• Have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or post-traumatic arthritis in the shoulder.
• Suffer from a severe shoulder fracture that cannot be repaired with other surgical methods.
• Have not found relief from non-surgical treatments like physiotherapy or corticosteroid injections.

The SuperPath® technique is a tissue-sparing procedure which aims to get patients back on their feet within days (possibly hours) instead of weeks. Dr Le Trong Phat introduced this technique to Vietnam back in 2018 and since then has operated over 250 patients with an impressive 99.9% success rate. This is the preferred hip replacement technique at FV Hospital, using the MicroPort® implants imported from the USA.

With SuperPath®, your surgeon utilises a small (8-10cm) incision on the side of your hip. “Minimally invasive” does not only refer to the incision but also means less trauma to the muscles and tendons, also there is no surgical dislocation of the hip. A SuperPath® Hip Replacement is designed to precisely reconstruct the hip without cutting critical tendons and stretching or traumatising muscles that are important to hip function. Because of the elimination of damage to these important structures during reconstruction, patients typically have a short hospital stay and a number of patients walk the same day as their surgery.

The result is not only effective pain relief, but a smoother and more confident recovery. Patients often regain mobility early, returning to walking within days, while benefiting from a stable, well-aligned joint that supports long-term function — even in elderly patients.

Hip revision surgery is a reoperation (second surgery) to address a failed hip replacement implant or a complication from a previous hip replacement. Many patients come to FV after unsuccessful treatment elsewhere and are able to regain stability and function through carefully planned revision procedures.

Hip revision is recommended in case of implant wear and loosening, hip dislocation, peri-prosthetic fracture, or in case of infection.

Knee arthroscopy is a surgical procedure that allows doctors to view the knee joint without making a large incision (cut) through the skin and other soft tissues. Arthroscopy is used to diagnose and treat a wide range of knee problems.

During knee arthroscopy, your surgeon inserts a small camera, called an arthroscope, into your knee joint. The camera displays pictures on a video monitor, and your surgeon uses these images to guide miniature surgical instruments.

Because the arthroscope and surgical instruments are thin, your surgeon can use very small incisions, rather than the larger incision needed for open surgery. This results in less pain and joint stiffness for patients, and often shortens the time it takes to recover and return to favourite activities.

Knee arthroscopy may relieve painful symptoms of many problems that damage the cartilage surfaces and other soft tissues surrounding the joint.

Ligaments of the knee

Two ligaments on the sides of the knee (collateral ligaments) provide stability during sideways motions: the medial collateral ligament (MCL) on the inner side and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) on the outer side.

Two ligaments cross in the centre (cruciate) of the knee joint. The forward ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the ligament behind is the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The ACL ensures the tibia doesn’t slide forward, allowing pivoting, twisting and jumping. The PCL prevents the tibia from moving backward relative to the femur.

ACL and PCL Injuries

An ACL injury is often caused by an acute injury, typically seen during sports. When athletes twist, pivot and jump, they rely on the ACL to stabilise their movements. Common causes of ACL injuries include:

Patients typically feel the moment an ACL injury occurs. Common symptoms of an ACL injury happen both during an acute injury and following the injury, they may include:

PCL injuries are far less frequent than ACL injuries, often due to a hard blow to a bent knee. Roughly half of such injuries result from motorcycle or car accidents, and half are the result of sports.

After a PCL injury, people may often think of it as a minor knee problem and try to go on with their usual activities. However, symptoms that can develop include:

Arthroscopic ACL or PCL Reconstruction Surgery

Arthroscopic ACL or PCL Reconstruction is a minimally invasive procedure during which the torn ligament is reconstructed using a graft. This graft is extracted from your own body. Hamstring Tendon graft is the most common graft used.

Arthroscopy enables smaller surgical incisions, less blood loss, less tissue damage, fewer complications, and a shorter recovery period. while rebuilding the ACL or the PCL to its full range of extension and flexion motions, allowing full-weight-bearing walking and running, as well as aiding in the restoration of full athletic performance.

Patients typically stay for two to three days. The rehabilitation involves early movement exercises, strict bracing for up to six weeks, and progressive physiotherapy to return to sports within 6-9 months.

What is a meniscus?

Two bones meet to form the knee joint: the femur and the tibia. The kneecap (patella) sits in front of the joint to provide some protection.

Two wedge-shaped pieces of fibrocartilage act as shock absorbers between the femur and tibia. These are the meniscus. The meniscus help to transmit weight from one bone to another and play an important role in knee stability.

Meniscus Tears Repair

Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries. Athletes, particularly those who play contact sports, are at risk for meniscus tears. However, anyone at any age can tear the meniscus. When people talk about torn cartilage in the knee, they are usually referring to a torn meniscus.

At FV, the priority is to repair and preserve the meniscus wherever possible, rather than remove it — protecting the long-term health of the knee joint. Meniscus repair is performed via arthroscopy by mending together the torn fibers to aid healing and restore the cushion between the femur (thighbone) and tibia (shinbone). This, in turn, helps protect the cartilage of the knee joint (reducing the risk of early arthritis), and restoring stability.

In some cases, repairing the meniscus is deemed not possible and your surgeon will perform a partial meniscectomy. In this procedure, the damaged meniscus tissue is trimmed away. This procedure typically allows for immediate weight bearing, and full range of motion soon after surgery.

Knee replacement surgery is a surgery to replace parts of your knee joint with new, artificial parts. You may need a knee replacement if you have knee damage that causes severe pain and difficulty doing daily activities, such as walking and climbing stairs. It is usually done when other treatments for knee pain haven’t helped enough. The goal of a knee replacement is to relieve pain and help you move better.

This is the most common reason for knee replacement surgery is knee osteoarthritis. It usually develops over time after an injury or with aging. Other indications include knee damages from other types of arthritis or from injury.

At FV, knee replacement is performed with careful attention to alignment and soft tissue balance aiming to restore natural movement rather than simply replace the joint.

For patients, this leads to meaningful pain relief, improved mobility, and a return to independent daily living.

This treatment is for patients with repeated dislocation or instability of the kneecap.

Our surgeons go beyond simple repositioning by addressing underlying causes such as ligament imbalance or anatomical misalignment, aiming for a more durable correction.

Patients gain improved stability, reduced risk of recurrence, and greater confidence in movement.

These alignment conditions can place uneven stress on the knee joint, accelerating cartilage wear and leading to early osteoarthritis if left untreated. In appropriate cases, corrective osteotomy is used to realign the limb, redistribute weight more evenly, and relieve pressure on the damaged compartment of the joint.

Not every joint condition needs surgery — and at FV, treatment does not begin there. For patients with early degeneration, cartilage wear, or persistent joint pain, therapies such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) injections offer a different starting point: one that works with the body, not against it.

PRP, derived from the patient’s own blood, is part of what is known as orthopaedic biological therapy — combining modern technology with the body’s natural healing response. Rich in growth factors, it helps reduce inflammation, stimulate tissue repair, and support regeneration within the joint, often with minimal side effects and downtime.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) injections, or viscosupplementation, are used to treat knee osteoarthritis by injecting a gel-like substance into the joint, enhancing lubrication, reducing pain, and improving mobility. Hyaluronic acid is a natural lubricant found in many of your body’s tissues. It’s also the main ingredient in synovial fluid, which lubricates your joints. It has a viscous quality — thick and gel-like. Injections of hyaluronic acid gel can help replace the lubrication you’ve lost and ease your knee pain.

At FV, these treatments are not used in isolation. They are carefully integrated into a personalised care pathway — selecting the right patients, the right stage of disease, and combining them with rehabilitation to relieve pain, improve mobility, and, in many cases, delay or avoid the need for surgery altogether.

The Scarf osteotomy is a technically demanding procedure that allows the bone to be repositioned, rotated, and stabilised with precision – restoring alignment while preserving joint congruity.

Among the more technically demanding procedures in orthopaedics, the Scarf osteotomy for hallux valgus requires a high level of precision and surgical experience. This condition — commonly seen in middle-aged women — often develops due to a combination of genetic factors, foot structure, and prolonged use of high-heeled footwear, leading to pain, deformity, and an altered walking pattern.

FV is one of the few centres in Vietnam to perform this technique routinely. With consistently high patient satisfaction and excellent clinical outcomes, the procedure offers both functional correction and aesthetic improvement – allowing patients to return to normal daily activities within a short period of time.

Flat foot is a common structural condition in children that can affect movement, joint development, and posture as they grow. When intervention is required, early correction plays an important role in supporting proper alignment and long-term musculoskeletal development.

At FV, treatment is performed using minimally invasive, endoscopic-assisted techniques. The procedure is typically completed within 5–15 minutes, with no large incision and minimal visible scarring. Children usually do not require a prolonged hospital stay and can return to normal activities – including running and sports – within a short period of time, offering both reassurance for parents and a smooth recovery for young patients.