· Partial-knee replacement surgery is emerging as an option for patients with osteo-arthritis, especially in younger patients to halt degeneration
· Patient education and doctor proficiency is key to the specialized surgery
Gurgaon, 18th January 2017 : Partial-knee surgery, a procedure performed regularly in the West, but little-known in India, has the potential to alleviate pain in those with osteo-arthritis. Surgeons at Columbia Asia Hospital though, perform the surgery that often gives better results, has a shorter recovery time, and lends easier mobility post-surgery, when compared to full-knee surgery.
Priya Malhotra (name changed to protect identity), 58 years, from Sonepat, found her mobility hampered with acute knee pain. She was worried about the constant consumption of pain killers as well, since doctors had educated her on the ill-effects of the medicines on the kidneys. When she came to Columbia Asia Hospital, a specialized X-ray was performed and the damage to the knee was ascertained. She was then counseled about the option of a partial-knee surgery, and she underwent the operation.
“An important part of performing such a surgery is the practice of counseling patients, so that they know everything they will be doing through for the surgery. Osteo-arthritis is age-related wear and tear that occurs on the cartilage of the knee. When the cartilage starts degenerating, pain begins to occur, because cartilage is really a shock-absorber. Depending on the level of degeneration, we are able to prescribe what form of surgery is best, in a process called the preoperative assessment. In 30-40% of cases, all that is needed is a partial-knee-replacement surgery, which is a replacement of only the damaged portion of the knee, with an implant. This surgery reduces the magnitude of the operation, with the incision being smaller and blood loss being less than a full-knee surgery. This reduces recovery time, decreases infection risk, making recovery quicker and hospital-stay time shorter,” says Dr Jayant Arora, Co-ordinator and Senior Consultant, Department of Orthopedics, Gurgaon.
Technically known as unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR), it was developed in Oxford University Hospitals, UK, and is in fact, celebrating 40 years of existence. The knee is an important complex hinge that is also weight-bearing. So when the cartilage wears out, the edge of the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia) rub against each other causing pain. In time, the joint also gets stiff and pain occurs even when there is no movement. Most people complain of these symptoms between 45 and 55 years.
“The first step to relieving pain is often weight-loss in those who are overweight and physiotherapy. However, people may reach a stage when these, in tandem with medication (pain killers) do not work. The partial-knee surgery aims to relieve pain and help the person perform daily activities, including exercise, pain-free. A full-knee surgery removes parts of bone and cartilage as well as all ligaments in the area. A partial surgery keeps the ligaments. This is another reason why recovery is quicker and less painful. It also ensures range of motion is not hampered (the extent to which you can move the joint),” says Dr Jayant Arora.
Priya Malhotra has recovered completely. In fact, she compared her own surgery with that of her neighbor, who had had a full-knee surgery, and reported quicker and better mobility. She has been doing the exercises prescribed to her by the physiotherapist to ensure that she builds the muscles around the joint, and to ensure that joint stiffness does not set in. The efficacy of the surgery is said to last for upto 20 years.
About Columbia Asia Hospitals Pvt. Ltd.
Columbia Asia Hospitals Pvt. Ltd. is the only company in India to utilize 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) route in the hospital sector.
About Columbia Asia Group of Companies
The Columbia Asia Group is owned by more than 150 private equity companies, fund management organizations and individual investors. The group currently operates eleven facilities in India and has presence in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Kolkata, Mysore, Patiala and Pune. The company also operates hospitals in Malaysia (11), Vietnam (3), and Indonesia (3). The Indian management operations are managed from its office in Bangalore.