Dr Thomas Hilton

19/09/2025

Soft tissue sarcomas are rare cancers that can begin in muscles, fat, nerves, blood vessels, or fibrous tissue. Because they can develop in many parts of the body, the symptoms often look different - these might include a lump, swelling, pain, or changes in movement.

We understand how overwhelming a diagnosis like this can feel. That’s why our team is committed to providing expert, compassionate care - helping patients access the right treatment and giving them the best possible chance of living well again.

To book a consultation, contact us on 072 953 1518 📞

12/09/2025

This patient came to us with a severe valgus knee deformity and extensive bone loss on the lateral femoral condyle and tibial plateau. The joint angled outward to nearly 90° in flexion, with valgus in extension measured at around 27°.

These cases are especially tough - severe deformities can make stability hard to achieve with standard instruments.

However, the team was able to restore both alignment and function with a relatively straightforward total knee replacement.

Proof that even the most complex cases can have simple, effective solutions.👏🏻

03/09/2025

This month, we honour the little warriors fighting an unthinkable battle.

Every child deserves the chance to grow, dream, and live free of cancer. By raising awareness and learning the signs, we can stand together and remind families that they are never alone in this fight.💛

14/08/2025

When should you consult an orthopaedic tumour and infection specialist?

Some key symptoms and situations are:

🔹 Ongoing bone pain that won't subside
🔹 Unexplained swelling in the limbs
🔹 Fractures from minimal or no trauma
🔹 A persistent lump or mass

Your health is important. If you're experiencing any of these signs, don’t wait - schedule a consultation with Dr. Thomas Hilton today.

09/08/2025

Wishing you a beautiful Women’s Day, South Africa!🧡

- Dr. Hilton & Team

25/07/2025

Not every bone can be fixed with a one-size-fits-all solution.

After tumour removal, some patients are left with complex bone loss that standard implants just can’t support.

That’s where unique implants, like 3D-printed or modular prosthetics, come in. These are designed specifically for your body, helping to rebuild bone, restore movement, and support long-term recovery.

Dr. Hilton works closely with leading implant companies to ensure every patient gets the most advanced, high-quality solution available.

Send us a message - we believe every patient’s care should be as unique as their case.📞

11/07/2025

Persistent bone pain or swelling can have many causes, but when symptoms don’t go away or have no clear explanation, it’s important to pay attention.

While these symptoms don’t always mean cancer, early detection is key to ruling out serious conditions and getting the right care.

Dr. Hilton specializes in diagnosing and treating bone tumours. If you’re experiencing any of these signs, book a consultation today for expert guidance and peace of mind.

26/06/2025

A look inside the operating room with Dr. Hilton 🩺

In this case, robotic-assisted technology was used to support greater precision and control.

Robotics help us customise surgical planning, improve accuracy, and protect surrounding structures - leading to smoother recoveries and better long-term outcomes for our patients.

We’re proud to combine advanced tools with expert care to help our patients move freely and live comfortably again!

23/06/2025

When you're being treated for a tumour or complex infection, your orthopaedic oncologist and joint reconstruction surgeon doesn't work alone.

Behind every decision, scan, and surgery is a multidisciplinary team:

→ Radiologists to interpret imaging
→ Pathologists to confirm diagnosis
→ Oncologists to manage treatment
→ Microbiologists to fight infection
→ Rehab and nursing teams to support your recovery

Why so many specialists? Because treating bone tumours or complex infections often requires different types of expertise - but we all contribute to building the best plan for our patient.

19/07/2021

What is it that we do?

Oncology is the study of tumours. Tumours or cancer is the abnormal and uncontrolled proliferation or growth of cells in the body.

There are many different types of cancers depending on which type of cell is behaving badly. Carcinomas are cancers that come from cells that line the body, either on the outside or the inside. The medical term for these cells is epithelial cells. Much of our work is dealing with the spread of these cancers. Cancers such as breast, thyroid, kidney and prostate often metastasise to bone and can eat away at parts of the bone causing pain and even fractures. These bones either need to be fixed if fractured or replaced. Most of the time this is combined with radiotherapy to help control the cancer in that area.

Radiotherapy is essentially directing ionising radiation at an area of the body in a controlled way. This radiation energy helps to disrupt the normal multiplication of the cancer cells causing them to die.

Sarcoma's are cancers or tumours that arise from connective tissue cells. These cells live in bone, muscle, joints, fat and blood vessels to name a few.

The treatment of cancer is to use a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and drugs, such as chemotherapy. How much of each is dependent on the type of cancer and what stage it is at. These decisions are made in a multidisciplinary team meeting whose members include specialists in medical imaging, surgical oncologists and medical oncologists.

Chemotherapy is well known for its side effects which include; hair loss, fatigue, weight loss and nausea. It is usually given directly into the blood stream and can be given before and after surgery.

It is our job as orthopaedic (surgical) oncologists to remove the tumour with a cuff of normal tissue to ensure all the cancer is removed. Often when we do this it affects the function of the limb. It is our job to also reconstruct the limb as best as possible to both avoid amputation as well as get you back to near normal function as possible. We do this with a number of different methods. Most of the time this involves the replacement of a joint and replacement of the removed bone with a titanium endoprosthetic (internal prosthesis). Some examples are shown in the gallery above.

29/04/2021