An orthopaedic surgeon from Practice Plus Group Hospital Shepton Mallet is celebrating performing more than 2,000 hip replacements there.

Adam Rozycki joined the hospital, which was formerly known as the Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre, in 2005 - the year it opened.

He is a specialist consultant surgeon in trauma and orthopaedic surgery, and as well as hips he also operates on knees and carries out minor orthopaedic surgery.

He is one of the surgeons at the hospital who are pioneering a ground-breaking one-day hip procedure.

For patients who are suitable for this operation, it means that their procedure is carried out as a day case and they can go home on the day of their surgery.

In total Mr Rozycki has so far performed 2,226 hip replacements. The average hip replacement operation lasts around one-and-a-half hours, which means he has spent in the region of 139 days in theatre performing this procedure.

To put that into perspective, if he started on January 1 and worked for 24 hours a day every day he would finish on May 18.

Mr Rozycki graduated from the Silesian Academy of Medicine in Poland, completing his specialty training in orthopaedic and trauma surgery in 2002. He is passionate about orthopaedics and is a member of the British Orthopaedic Association.

His special interests include primary total hip and knee replacements, including uni-compartmental knee replacements, and to date he has performed more than 4,000 of these procedures.

He is one of a team of eight specialist orthopaedic surgeons at Practice Plus Group Hospital Shepton Mallet.

Jac Ciampolini, medical director at the hospital, said: "Adam's performance is impressive, and he has combined volume with the highest surgical standards and skill.

"His contribution to the orthopaedic health of patients in the region is to be applauded."

Hip replacement surgery, either total or partial replacement or resurfacing, is the most commonly carried out surgical procedure in the UK.

There are nine signs to look out for which could mean that you need hip replacement surgery:

• Persistent or recurring pain in your hip over a period of time, or pain which may also flare up in rainy weather or changes in temperature
• Aching in your hip during and after exercise, with progressively limited hip motion or degree of bend in the joint
• Increasing immobility such as difficulty getting in and out of chairs, walking or climbing stairs
• A "grating" feeling in the hip joint
• Stiffness in the hip joint when you get out of bed
• Continual pain even with medication and using a cane, and pain that keeps you awake at night
• Stiffening up of the joint after sitting for a period of time, such as driving or at the cinema
• Increasing pain, discomfort and immobility from a previous hip injury, such as a fractured pelvis
• Related pain elsewhere, such as in the knees or groin

If you experience these symptoms speak to your GP who, if they think you need surgery, will refer you to the local orthopaedic assessment service.

Hip replacement surgery, and a wide range of other orthopaedic procedures, are available from Practice Plus Group Hospital Shepton Mallet via the NHS, self-pay and/or private medical insurance.