Delhi docs perform rare robotic-assisted total hip & knee replacements

NEW DELHI: Doctors here have given a 53-year-old woman suffering from rheumatoid arthritis a new lease of life after successfully performing robotic-assisted total hip and knee replacement surgeries.

Rekha, a housewife from Delhi, had been suffering from arthritis for the past 15 years. She was experiencing debilitating hip and knee pain. The condition had damaged her multiple joints, severely impacting her mobility and daily life activities.

The team of doctors at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in Delhi opted for robotic-assisted surgery due to its precision and minimally invasive nature.

They performed the complex procedures using the world's most advanced robotic system, MAKO, from the US.

The first surgery, a robotic-assisted total hip replacement, was performed on July 4, followed by a robotic-assisted total knee replacement on October 17.

Rekha was able to walk the very next day after both surgeries, highlighting the effectiveness of the robotic approach, said the doctors.

"This case presented a unique challenge due to the rarity of robotic-assisted total hip and knee replacement procedures. We are immensely gratified by the positive results achieved for Rekha," Dr (Prof.) Raju Vaishya, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement.

Despite the uncommon nature of robotic-assisted total hip and knee replacements, the procedure offered several advantages over conventional surgery. These included -- reduced trauma to the bone and soft tissues, precise positioning and fitting of the artificial joint (prosthesis), faster rehabilitation and recovery, minimised postoperative discomfort and bleeding, extended lifespan of the artificial joint, the doctor said.