The Department of Orthopaedics at the Amrita School of Medicine successfully completed three thousand joint replacement surgeries recently. With this, yet another milestone was scripted in the field of comprehensive joint care.

To mark the occasion, a Comprehensive Joint Care Clinic was inaugurated by noted cine actor, Smt. K P A C Lalitha on May 14, 2012. A mini walkathon of patients who had undergone total knee replacement in Amrita was also organized, as part of the inauguration.

“The Comprehensive Joint Care Clinic will immensely help patients suffering from the debilitating pain of the knee and hip joints,” Smt. Lalitha pointed out, in her address.

Speaking next, Dr. Vijaymohan S., Associate Professor and Consultant Surgeon, Division of Adult Joint Reconstruction in the Department of Orthopaedics explained the causes of joint pain and treatment options.

“Nowadays, joint pain has become a very common complaint among people. If one looks at the data, one can see that almost 50% of the patients visiting an orthopaedic out-patient department, are seeking help for joint pain. In a number of cases, the pain is due to age-related degeneration of the bones and joints,” he said.

The doctor noted that it was important to correctly diagnose the reasons for joint pain, because treatment varied with the cause. “Joint pain could result not only from degeneration of bones and joints but also inflammatory arthritis, infection, bone tumors, metabolic abnormalities and traumatic injuries,” he stated.

“Degeneration of joints, if detected in the initial stages, can be treated effectively. Exercises to strengthen muscles around the joint form an integral part of the treatment. Obesity adversely affects the health of all body joints. As knees, hips and ankles are the main weight-bearing joints in the body, if they have to bear excessive weight, that leads to their fast degeneration. Regulating one’s body weight, exercising daily, taking medicines will definitely help in the initial stages of the problem.”

“When the disease progresses to an advanced stage, the joint may lose its shape, resulting in deformity, severe pain and inflammation. Walking may become difficult. In such a case, Joint Replacement Surgery is the only option, especially for knee joints and hip joints.”

“At Amrita, for all joint replacement cases, we have Laminar Air Flow operation theatres, cement gun for pressurizing during cementing, vacuum mixing of the cement, pulsatile lavage, pneumatic and cordless power saw/reamer system and complete systems for primary and revision arthroplasty. A computer navigation system is also part of the joint replacement armamentarium.”

Dr. Prem Nair, Medical Director, further elaborated. “We are proud to have a multidisciplinary team with orthopaedic surgeons, medical rheumatologists, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, physical therapists, endocrinologists, geriatricians who come together to make sure that the medical management is complete. This new clinic will be a great boon for all those patients who suffer from bone and joint pains and face lot of restrictions in movement.”

“We should not forget that mobility is life,” reminded Dr. V. K. Bhaskaran, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics, to the gathering.

Noting the precautions to be taken for a few months after joint replacement procedures, he said, “You should exercise regularly, you should walk, you should not gain weight, you should have proper intake of calcium and vitamin D.”

During the walkathon, patients who underwent total knee replacement marched around the hospital campus smartly proving that they too are able to lead a pain-free, comfortable and independent life.

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