In My BodyFix, viewers will be introduced to six patients who are gearing up to go under the knife for a variety of ailments.
The thought of undergoing surgery can be deeply unsettling, so to give patients a better understanding of what they're in for, this show will use the latest digital technology to create 3D scans and offer new ways of seeing their injuries.
Giving brand new visual insights, as well as consultations from the experts, patients and viewers alike will see a myriad of medical conditions brought to life.
In tonight's episode, presenter Kathryn Thomas meets 62-year-old Tim Walsh from Ballyheigue, Co Kerry, who has been living with crippling pain due to an ankle injury he sustained over 40 years ago.
An ankle injury brought his years of hurling to an abrupt end as a young man, and he hasn't been right since. This year, after decades of pain and failing treatments, he went to see lower limb surgeon Professor Stephen Kearns at The Bon Secours hospital in Galway.
"The pain is crippling," Tim said. "This is my last chance to get my mobility and my life back. At the moment, I can’t imagine my life without pain."
Professor Kearns is planning a radical new procedure that involves pinning a large nail through Tim’s heel into his shinbone.
Tim and his wife have a cattle farm in Ballyheigue, but over the last couple of years, eldest son Mike has had to take over the work on the farm.
"Like any farmer, Dad wants to walk his fields and check his livestock," Mike explains. "For him not to be able to do that has really affected his quality of life. Also, there’s a safety issue as well as when dealing with large farm animals, you need to be able to move fast, to get out of their way. He can’t do that. Hopefully after this intervention he will come out the other side a happier man."
As with any surgery, there are risks, so Professor Kearns shows Tim a 3D virtual reality scan to show him how the injury has impacted his ankle bone and to explain the pros and cons of the surgery ahead.
The images reveal extensive damage to the joint, with cartilage completely worn away causing the excruciating pain of bone on bone. Tim is shocked to see the extent of the deformity and the arthritis in the joint that has brought him to a standstill.
"It was good to see where the pain is coming from, but when I was shocked to see the damaged bone. It would make you cry. It’s no wonder I can hardly walk."
Tune in to see Tim's story on My BodyFix on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player at 8:30pm on Tuesday November 7.
