THE region's largest centre for hip and knee replacements is to reopen after experts gave it the all clear.

Bosses at Bishop Auckland General Hospital decided to close the unit before Christmas because of a persistent problem with infections.

The decision to halt operations was taken after five patients developed a variety of post-operative infections.

After unsuccessful attempts to trace the source of the infections it was decided to halt operations and carry out a thorough decontamination of the unit.

Surgeons were awaiting the results of checks on the operating theatre air filters before deciding to resume operations.

A spokesman for the County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed the unit had been checked and found to be infection free.

"We will be resuming surgery early next week. The results on the air filters all came back negative," a spokesman said.

Hospital officials were keen to make it clear that none of the patients infected since the unit opened in October had developed the MRSA so-called superbug which has caused problems in UK hospitals.

The joint replacement unit was set up after the reorganisation of orthopaedic services at the County Durham trust so that selected patients would be offered the chance of fast-track joint replacement surgery at Bishop Auckland.

Infection is particularly unwelcome in joint replacement surgery because a persistent problem could result in the operation having to be repeated.

Most of the five patients have made a full recovery, although one is still being monitored. A small number of operations were cancelled and other patients due to have joint replacements were treated at the University Hospital of Durham or Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Closure of the unit did not affect other routine operations, although ward 19 was temporarily sealed.