Knee replacement program with suture-less surgery!

Bengaluru: In yet another move to make technologically advanced surgery options available for people, Columbia Asia Hospital Sarjapur Road has added suture-less surgery to unique computer navigated knee replacement programme. Computer navigated knee replacement surgery uses advanced computer programming to give information to the surgeon about the knee in the form of 3D mapping. Suture-less surgery with glue technology is a new form which helps in reduced hospital stay and hospital revisits.

Partial or total knee replacement surgery often comes as a relief to those suffering from a severe form of osteoarthritis. This condition affects over 15 million adults in India per year and it is estimated that India could become the osteoarthritis capital of the world with more than 60 million cases by the year 2025.

Computer Navigation is the latest Infra-red based real time tool which provides real time visual information about the accuracy of the bone cuts, implant positioning, ligament balancing, and final alignment of the limb. A report is also generated which provides the complete details of the surgery. Computer navigated knee replacement can drastically improve the quality of life of a person suffering from severe osteoarthritis and give them a near normal knee motion.

"Osteoarthritis may start in a person as early as 40 and, left unmanaged, it could slowly progress and cause severe disability in the person in their silver years. Knee replacement surgery has come as a blessing to the elderly who have been suffering from severe pain for years together. With the use of computer navigated technology, we are able to offer patients a more comfortable experience with the new knee. Smaller incisions lead to a faster recovery time and limited blood loss. There is also better alignment of the limb, perfect implant positioning, improved longevity of the implant and we are able to minimise complications like fat embolism, especially in bilateral knee replacement," said Dr. Nataraj HM, Consultant, Orthopaedics, Columbia Asia Hospital Sarjapur Road.

In one case, Ms. Smita Mishra, a 68 years old lady came to the hospital with a complaint of difficulty in walking for the last one year and knee pain for many years. She was completely housebound and bed ridden for the last one year and unable to climb stairs or go outside for a walk, suffered from sleep disturbances due to pain and she could walk only with the help of a stick. Ms Smita was not confident of undergoing the surgery in other hospitals due to co-morbid conditions like asthma, diabetes, and high BP.

Finally, after consulting with Dr. Nataraj HM Consultant Orthopaedics she underwent Computer Navigated Bilateral Knee Replacement at Columbia Asia Hospital Sarjapur Road. The surgery was successful and after a month Smita could walk 1 km continuously without any complaint of knee pain. Sutureless surgery with glue technology was used in this case which reduced the hospital stay duration. It also helps in avoiding revisits to the hospital to remove the stitch.