Bengaluru: African woman facing immobility gets a new lease of life

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

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

Speaking about the case, the Director – Department of Orthopaedics, Bone and Joint Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Dr. Narayan Hulse said, "We operated on both the knees of the patient individually within a gap of 3 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.

Speaking on the occasion, Business Head, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, Akshay Oleti said, "We are proud to have introduced Mako, a robotic platform that facilitates partial knee, total knee, and total hip replacement on the same platform. Fortis Hospital Bannerghatta Road is the first hospital to adapt the cutting edge technology across Fortis Network of Hospitals in the country.

We have carried out multiple surgeries from the time of installation, and it gives immense joy in seeing happy faces of our patients post their recovery in such a short duration. As a core value, we have been working towards delivering cutting-edge technology that can offer precision, faster recovery, and better experience for our patients. We will continue to introduce many more such technologies that have the potential to transform healthcare."