18 (UNI) A team of doctors at a private speciality
hospital has performed for the first time a hip resurfacing surgery
on an Ethiopia patient, who was suffering from Avascular necrosis
for the last seven years.
Talking to reporters here today, consultant Orthopaedic surgeon
Dr A K Venkatachalam of Bharathiraaja speciality hospital said
hip resurfacing, which has ganied momentum recently due to
latest advancements in metallurgy, has more longevity and it was
done without cutting the bone.
Explaining the procedure performed on Ahmed Sayeed, a 36-year-old
businessman from Adis Ababa, he said the spherical head portion
of the femur was cored out into a cylinder and a metal cap was
cemented on to it.
”The pelvis is also reamed to receive a metal cup which is
banged into it. The size of the ball corresponds to the natural
size of the patient and thus there is no risk of dislocation”, he
said.
”It’s a metal on metal large diameter prosthesis which is
very stable”, he said and added that this procedure was most
sought after as the prosthesis has high carbon content and the
longevity is high.
It took about four hours for the team to perform the procedure
and the patient was only put on epidural anaesthesia.
He was advised to walk with the help of calipers for about
one month to ensure that he would not trip. He would be
discharged tomorrow and after a month’s stay in the city for
post-operational consultations, he would fly back home in about
30 days time, Dr Venkatachalam said.
”I have absolutely no pain at all. I feel comfortable”
Ahmed Sayeed said.
Observing that people in the age group of 20 to 40 were
suffering from arthritis, Dr Venkatachalam said it required
Hip resurfacing procedures instead of the traditional hip
replcements.
”In young patients secondary osteoarthrits is the main
cause of hip pain, whereas in western countries, primary
osteoarthritis is the main case,” he added.
The reasons for hip arthritis in younger patients was due
to Avascular Necrosis (loss of blood supply to the femur
bone), Ankylosing Spondylitis (a theumatologic disorder causing
joint pain and stiffness), post traumatic arthritis arising
due to accidents and perthes disease (short of blood supply to
the upper part of thigh bone).
Stating that there were problems like risk of dislocation,
loosening due to wear particles, thigh pain, bone loss,
revision surgery and shorter longevity in conventional hip
replacements, Dr Venkatachalam said these shortcomings could
be avoided with hip resurfacing.
He said the cost of prosthesis was about 3,000 US Dollars
and it could also be treated for those suffering from primary
arthritis in older patients.
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