200 hip surgeries done at GRH in two years in Madurai

The Department of Orthopaedics at Government Rajaji Hospital here has performed over 200 hip replacement surgeries in two years.

According to V. Pugalenthi, Head, Department of Orthopaedics, the clinic treats nearly 25 patients with fractures in knee, arm and hip every day. Hip replacement surgeries had been done on persons above 50 years of age with fractures and chronic arthritis. People with fractures accounted for 90 per cent of the total hip replacement cases, he said.

Hip replacement, also known as total hip arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure to replace a worn-out or damaged hip with an artificial joint. Doctors at the GRH said a team of orthopaedic surgeons had done nearly 50 knee replacement operations on people aged between 50 and 60 years since the launch of Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme in 2012.

It is a surgical procedure done to resurface a knee damaged by arthritis. Metal and plastic parts are used to cap the ends of the bones that form the knee joint, along with the kneecap.

This surgery would be considered for persons with severe arthritis.

However, Both procedures cost around Rs.2 lakh in a private set up. It was done free of cost at the GRH under the CMCHIS, the doctors said.The department received two advanced C-Arm equipment to enable doctors to identify fractures and fix them.

Club Foot Surgery

The department also did club foot surgeries on infants with congenital deformity in foot.