Improving Patient Outcomes
Total knee replacement (TKR) is considered necessary when the knee is damaged beyond repair. And the right surgical technique is key to success. As an orthopedic, I am amazed at how total knee and hip replacement in India has evolved into a successful procedure for the management of pain, deformity and motion restriction related to severe degenerative arthritis, with the help of advancements in medical technology.
From a time when patients could regain only 30-50 per cent of mobility, incremental innovation in technology has allowed patients to have 80-90 per cent recovery. Today, we have new-age knee implants and hip implants like Exeter Hip System that have a proven track record of many years. Exeter, which is a gold standard in hip replacement, has a well-established clinical history of 40 years. There are a couple of knee implants available which are amongst the most widely accepted in the developed world due to their innovation prowess, proven track record and successful clinical history.
Millions of patients walking on these implants, enjoying a good quality life and extensive clinical registry data supporting this gives us the confidence to offer these implants to Indian patients as well. Innovations have made surgery simple and effective, enabled faster recovery and shorter hospital stay, improved range of motion and durability like never before.
Take, for instance, pre-plan technology. This radical breakthrough in TKR not only ensures proper prosthetic alignment, but also aids reduced blood loss safer and shorter surgery, and shorter hospital stay among other advantages. And that’s not all.
Technologies like computer-assisted knee and hip replacement, robotic surgeries have helped improve the accuracy and precision in total joint replacement (TJR). Computerassisted joint replacement, for instance, guides surgeons through the surgical process of joint replacement, increases surgical accuracy and reduces the chances of poor alignment. Accurate implant alignment is crucial to reducing longterm wear and tear and loosening of the implant. Similarly, 3-D printing in orthopedics is aiding production of customised implants, medical devices and orthotics from diverse materials.
That said, it is important that one chooses knee and hip implants that are of high quality and backed with well-established and successful patient survivorship registry data. How many patients across the globe have got this implant? What is the success rate of this knee implant? Is it approved by US FDA? These are some of the questions patients must enquire when considering knee or hip replacement surgeries.
In the case of TKR, conventionally, the correct positioning of implants was more dependent on surgeons’ judgment, leaving room for human error. Thanks to evolving technologies, innovative solutions from around the world are changing the way knee replacements are conducted. For innovations to foster, India needs to let innovation take its course.
