The implants used for joint replacement in the U.S. cost three times what they cost in India though there is no difference in quality, said Florida-based sports medicine and joint replacement expert William J. Jason.
He said the cost of the implants was much more in the U.S., but admitted that he did not understand the “economics” behind it.
Dr. Jason, who is here on a Knowledge Exchange programme with the Joint Care Centre (JCC), a subsidiary of Time Hospital, told the media that there was a great increase in the life expectancy of the new implants when compared to earlier ones. The new ones had a life of 20 years, double that of the earlier implants.
The companies producing implants were claiming that under laboratory conditions implants had a life of up to 40 years, he said.
For Asians
Dr. Jason inaugurated Navi-3, an advanced joint replacement navigation system at the JCC, and also launched ‘Max Asia Specific Knee’.
He said earlier implants designed for the Western bone structure were used for patients in Africa and Asia, but now the implants were being designed specifically for Asians.
Max Asia Specific Knee was one such implant, he said. Asked if custom-made implants would be available soon, he said though technology was available custom-made implants would not be available in the near future because of the prohibitive cost.
“Joints can be designed and made using 3 D Printing technology, but the cost would be too much,” Dr. Jason said.
JCC head S. Kiran Reddy said Dr. Jason discussed with the JCC team the latest techniques and technology in joint replacement as part of the Knowledge Exchange Programme.
Time group of Hospitals CEO Mahesh Jaju, Managing Director M. Hemanth, chairman P. Ramakrishna and intensive care specialist S. Soujanya participated.
