City hospital helps African patient get back on her feet

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru:

Fortis Hospital gave a new lease of life to a 66-year-old African patient suffering from multiple comorbidities via Mako Robotic Arm-Assisted Technology. The patient had been suffering from knee pain for the past 15 years and faced immobility. Dr Narayan Hulse, Director – Department of Orthopaedics, Bone & Joint Surgery, successfully performed the bilateral total knee replacement surgery on the patient.

The African patient was unable to conduct basic chores for the past 15 years. What complicated her health further were the comorbidities - hypertension, asthma, congenital heart defects and even a pacemaker surgery which she had undergone earlier. Both her knees were completely damaged owing to osteoarthritis.

Regarding the case, Dr Hulse, said, “We operated on both the knees of the patient individually within a gap of three days. Mako Robotic Technology helped us create a 3D virtual model of the patient’s damaged knee and plan the corrective surgery. During surgery the Robotic-Arm assisted in resecting the bone in an appropriate angle, personalised for this patient.

Unlike routine knee replacements, this patient needed additional implants like stems and augments to reinforce the weak bone.” “While traditional knee or hip replacement surgeries have considerably improved patients' quality of life over the past three decades, Mako has significantly increased the accuracy, aided precise planning and bone-cut, bone and soft tissue preservation, reduced post-operative discomfort, faster recovery, quicker discharge, and less blood loss.

This technology has completely transformed how joint replacements are being carried out,” added Dr Hulse. The patient recovered immediately post the surgery and was mobilised gradually. Considering her poor health condition and prolonged immobility, she made remarkable progress in a very short span of time and has become independent in her daily activities. She left for her home country within 2 weeks of the surgery