Total Joint Replacement a boon for arthritis |
| Total joint Replacement...Now
made Affordable to All! |
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| What is a healthy Joint? |
A healthy joint is painless, with excellent
range of motion and with an ability to walk long distances.
The joint is made up of participating bones, which are lined
by smooth shiny surface at joint level(called as articular
cartilage). |
| What is arthritis? |
Arthritis means wear and tear. With the
increasing age or any pathology-excessive wear and tear of
joints sets in. This leads to destruction of articular surface,
menisci and in late stages even the ligaments. The joint undergoes
phase of inflammation and then progressive destruction finally
leading to a completely worn out joint.
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| Can I prevent arthritis and further destruction
of the joint? |
When you are having joint pains it’s
a good idea to consult an expert in the field. The symptom
might be a precursor of the later arthritic process. At this
stage an expert can help in preventing arthritis occurring
or for can postpone joints deterioration occurring at a fast
pace.
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| Do medicines or physiotherapy help? |
| In early stage of arthritis… Medicines
and physiotherapy plays a major role. A lot of medicines are
available from various fields of medicine and they have their
own advantages, disadvantages, side effects and limitations.
But generally, medicines are good in early stage to prevent
rapid deterioration of the joint and take down inflammation.
Certainly one can slow down the process BUT not completely stop
it. Physiotherapy is a good complement to medicines and again
acts in similar way to slow down the inflammation. |
| Does a brace have any role in Knee Arthritis? |
| In early stage of Arthritis with joint pain
brace helps in transferring the load pattern. Thus all the weight
load, which gets transmitted from the damaged portion of the
joint, which is as yet normal. This has a very time bound benefit
and should not be considered as the final answer for ailment. |
| What are various surgical options for arthritis? |
One all above mentioned options stop acting
and helping in pain relief…surgery needs to be considered.
The various options in surgery are:
1. Arthroscopic Examination/ Wash out (Key hole surgery)
2. Realignment surgery (Osteotomy)
3. Partial Joint Replacement
4. Total Knee Replacement |
| At what stage should I consider a Total Knee
Replacement? |
| When medicines and physiotherapy stop helping
in pain relief, when pain starts inferring with activities of
daily living, when pain starts you keeping awake at night and
when range of movement gets progressively decreased. When one
or more of above are present one may want to consider Total
Knee Replacement. |
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| What exactly is done during Total Knee Replacement? |
| The process replaces the damaged portion
of the joint i.e., Thigh bone (Femur), Shin bone (tibia) and
the knee cap (patella) this is replaced by an implant which
is made up of Metal and plastic combination. The metal is well
suited for staying implanted in body for prolonged duration. |
| How long does it take to recover? |
| Patient is in the hospital for 8-12 days.
He/ She walks the next day of operation. This is major operation
and takes usually 3 months to 9 months to recover fully. Of
course, if patient works harder for recovery, this can be fastened. |
| When will I walk again? |
| Usually in a day or two following the surgery
in most cases. Then you will be helped by our team of Physiotherapists
and occupational therapists. One walks with some support in
the initial period, usually with walker or cane. |
| What is the cost of surgery? |
| With the advent of technology, implant material
science- the implant, which is available exclusively at Sushrut
Hospital, has dramatically reduced the cost of surgery. Earlier
the operation, which cost 1.2 to 1.5 lakhs will henceforth cost
far lesser. And yes this implant is no inferior but matches
with the set International standards. |
| What is this new type of Hip Replacement
surgery and is called the “New Revolution”? |
Conventional Hip replacement(Total Hip Replacement
or THR) is an excellent procedure in elderly or sedentary people,
but it cannot restore the mobility desired by younger and middle
aged patients. Also, it can sometimes dislocate or slip out
of joint. Loosen faster in younger people (and vital bone is
lost as the Total Hip Replacement loosens) and patients are
often restricted in terms of their lifestyle and mobility. For
example, patients who have had conventional hip replacement
are not allowed to squat, are not allowed to bend and pick something
up from the floor, and not allowed to cross their legs. All
this, however, is usually possible to do after Hip Resurfacing.
A striking advance has been made in the field of surgery for
Hip Arthritis. “Don’t get a Hip Replacement, just
reline or resurface your arthritic hip!” This is what
hundreds of satisfied hip resurfacing patients are now urging
other arthritic patients to do.
Hip resurfacing has been known as an alternative to total hip
replacement or for younger patients, to watchful waiting, and
involves the removal and replacement of the surface of the femoral
head with a hollow metal hemisphere. This hemisphere fits into
a metal acetabular cup. The technique conserves femoral bone,
maintains normal femoral loading and stresses. Therefore this
is a unique method of Total Hip Replacement. |
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| How do I choose the doctor and place for
surgery? |
| Lot of surgeons with a very small experience
starts doing this kind of major surgery. Usually surgeons attend
one or two workshops or so a small training course and start
practicing this art. One should evaluate which doctors are well
trained from in this field and also whether they are competent
enough to handle this kind of major operation. Also one should
look at the facility available to this kind of important operation
wherein even smallest error can cause disaster. An ideal set
up for this kind of surgery which is available exclusively at
Sushrut Hospital include a SPACE THEATRE which is comprising
of laminar air flow (for clean environment), space suits, and
computer assisted surgery. This type of operation theatre at
Sushrut Hospital is first of its kind in entire Country. |
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| What are the distinct benefits of the operation? |
Pain free excellent range of movement and
once again an Independent life and activities.
Above article is written by renowned Joint Replacement surgeon
of Central India, Dr Sushrut Babhulkar. He has to his Credit
more than 2,000 Joint Replacement and more than 150 International
and National publications and reputed Orthopaedic Journals.
All the points, views, treatment rationale and options mentioned
in this article are of highest International standards and are
widely practiced worldwide. Though with rapid advancement in
medical field and constantly changing views some deviation from
this may be possible in future years to come. |
| For further details please get in
touch with the author: sushrutbabhulkar@rediffmail.com |
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