Somalian undergoes double hip replacement at Apollo Hospitals

A double hip replacement surgery was successfully performed on a 53-year-old Somalian patient using the latest minimally invasive procedure at a private hospital here, enabling him to walk freely after 31 years, the hospital said today.

The procedure, known as the 'Direct Hip Anterior', was used "for the first time in India," a release from the Apollo Hospitals said.

"Both the hips of Mukhtar Hilowli got fused following a severe bout of infection in 1986," it said.

It deprived him of the normal hip joint movement, Apollo Hospitals (Hospitals Division) President Dr Hari Prasad said.

He had an abnormal gait on account of this, which made movement arduous and he had to endure the trauma for the last 31 years, Prasad said.

According to the release, orthopedic surgeons led by Dr P Sharat Kumar performed the procedure.

The patient underwent sequential bilateral total hip replacements, with the right one being replaced first on December 30 last followed by the left hip on February 15 this year.

"The patient has since recovered well and is undergoing physiotherapy and rehabilitation," Sharat said.