ABOUT
Dr de Villiers is a pain interventionist trained to diagnose and treat painful conditions using some of the latest available techniques. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Dr Pierre de Villiers completed his pre-and post- medical studies at the University of Pretoria. Dr de Villiers practised as a well-respected orthopaedic surgeon for approximately 18 years, developing interests in diagnosing and managing difficult, painful conditions. In 2017 he passed the internationally recognised Fellow of Interventional Pain Practitioners (FIPP) examination through the World Institute of Pain (WIP), which allowed him to practice as a pain interventionist. He is up to date with the latest developments in his field and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Pain. He spends most of his time at the Hermanus Pain Clinic relating to chronic pain management. Dr de Villiers still serves the wider Hermanus and Overberg community as a general orthopaedic surgeon, however. Dr de Villiers works from Mediclinic Hermanus, a Hermanus hospital.
Services includes :
- Osteoporotic Fracture of the Spine
In osteoporosis, spinal vertebrae fractures are the most common fractures seen, and osteoporosis is more prevalent in the elderly female population. Neglected fractures may lead to spinal deformities, chronic pain, additional severe health problems or premature death. Diagnosis is easy, and there are treatments available. Simultaneous management of osteoporosis is critical. Symptoms of osteoporosis are harder to recognise as patients cannot feel the softening of bones. When a bone fractures, they will feel the pain of the fracture. Dr de Villiers will decide whether conservative treatment or surgical treatment is the best approach depending on the severity of the condition. - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition where symptoms include pins and needles, numbness, and pain, implying a nerve's involvement. A cause may be determined, but mostly, the condition starts spontaneously. It usually begins with faint electric shocks shooting unexpectedly down the wrist into the index or middle fingers and mainly occurs with hand and wrist movement. These "attacks" are generally short and infrequent, with no symptoms presenting in-between. With time, the "attacks" may occur more frequently, and numbness in fingers may develop. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway from the forearm into the hand. The carpal ligament spans this passageway, and some tendons to the fingers and a large neve pass under the ligament. The nerve is the median nerve, responsible for sensation in the thumb, index, and part of the ring finger and muscle movement in the thumb's ball. Rheumatoid arthritis poorly set fractures of the wrist, undue pressure on the palm of the hand, tumours, growths in the carpal tunnel, or growth hormones in adults can lead to the syndrome. It is more common in female patients and may lead to the patient awakening at night due to symptoms. Dr de Villiers will decide whether a conservative or surgical treatment will best treat the patient. - De Quervain's Stenosing Tenosynovitis
De Quervain's Stenosing tenosynovitis is a common cause of wrist pain where patients complain of pain during hand use. The pain is located on the thumb side of the wrist, near the base of the thumb. The condition begins spontaneously and insidiously but might be onset through strenuous and repetitive use of the hand. The condition is more common in middle-aged and elderly patients but may occur in younger patients, in either the dominant or non-dominant hand. In elderly patients, tendons develop short "cracks" or degenerative tears in the tendon's length, leading to a localised inflammatory response, with resultant swelling and pain, which interferes with the smooth gliding motion of the tendons. This condition is also more common in females, and Dr Botha can treat it either surgically or non-surgically, depending on the severity of the condition - Trigger Finger
Trigger finger is where the pain is generated at the finger base, especially when attempting to open or close the fist and "triggering" is used to describe one of the common symptoms. The tendons (sinews) that curl up fingers slide effortlessly inside its sheath in its normal state. With age, a localised thickening may develop in the tendon and when it reaches a part of the sheath that cannot accommodate the thickened part of the tendon, attempts to force it to pass this point may result in pain and a "triggering" sensation. Trigger finger is more common in middle-aged and elderly patients, and once one trigger finger presents itself, it is common to present with the triggering of other fingers. Trigger finger begins spontaneously and insidiously, and the affected finger remains in a curled position which can only be straightened with an effort, pain, and sometimes manual assistance. Tenderness in the palm over the site of narrowing of the sheath is a common symptom. Dr de Villiers will decide that the best form of treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms. - Ganglion
A ganglion is a "sack" that fills with lubricating fluid and develops concerning a joint or tendon (sinew), smearing these structures. They grow over time due to more fluids filling the sack and are more common in children and young adults but can develop at any stage. They can disappear on their own, but this is infrequent. Most common to develop on the back of the wrist, near the base of the thumb and the palm of the hand, ganglions can also form anywhere in the body. Ganglions are usually painless but can cause pain with wrist movement and hand use. The reason they develop is unclear. A ganglion is a cyst, and although it is called a tumour, it will never result in cancer. Dr Botha will either treat ganglions conservatively or with surgery, depending on the patient. - Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is also known as lateral epicondylitis and is a common condition that affects middle-aged and active people, male and female alike. It presents as a pain located over the outer aspect of the elbow over the prominent bony protrusion. It begins as a dull, intermittent ache that can worsen pain during repetitive or strenuous activities involving hand use. Eventually, simple actions will trigger pain, and although the pain is mainly localised over the bone prominence, it can radiate down into the forearm muscles. The most common cause of pain is tendonitis. The condition has no clear participating cause but can be considered an overuse syndrome. Dr Botha will determine whether conservative or surgical treatment is required following the patient's diagnosis's severity.
