Wockhardt launches less-invasive knee surgery

Wockhardt in Bangalore has introduced less-invasive total knee replacement surgery at its hospital.

The process involves an incision of three to four inches as against the eight to ten inch required for traditional surgery. Surgeons attempt to reach the knee without cutting into tendons, muscles and other tissues around the knee.

Visiting orthopedic surgeon David Carl Pollock, consultant orthopedic surgeon, Winston Salem Hospital, United States, said: "the art of knee surgery has advanced significantly today. In the past, the greatest challenge that any knee replacement surgeon faced was limited knee flexion and rotation."

"In Asia, this has led to the inability for patients to squat. Many knee replacement systems that are currently available cause patients to face extended hospital stays, high costs and requirement of blood transfusions due to extensive blood loss," he added.

According to Sanjay Pai, orthopedic surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals, "The benefit of this system to patients is very short hospital stay (4-5 days) as against 10-15 days required in the conventional system; faster recovery, absolutely no blood transfusion and it is the most economical knee replacement system today with very high patient benefit."