MIOT International, a private hospital in Chennai, has introduced a new method of hip replacement surgery.
Unlike in the traditional procedure where the surgeon approaches the hip joint from the posterior or the side, and that involves making a large incision through the muscles and the hip joint; in the new method, called direct anterior approach (DAA), the hip joint is approached from the front of the body.
In the conventional approach there are concerns about muscle damage and blood loss. According to Prithvi Mohandas, the hospital’s managing director, around 15-30% of patients require two units of blood during the procedure. The patient experiences postoperative pain as well, resulting in a long hospital stay and rehabilitation. The surgery could potentially also alter the patient’s gait. Also, there are chances of new bone formation and a higher risk of dislocation, he said.
In the DAA, the surgeon approaches the hip when the patient is in the anatomical position that ensures the length of their legs is equal after surgery, he explained. Also, blood loss is prevented as the muscles and tissues are only pushed back, and not cut. The patient is mobilised and discharged within a day, said Nabil Ghrayeb, an Israeli orthopaedic surgeon who has over 20 years’ experience in orthopaedics and joint replacement. He is currently the senior deputy director of the Orthopaedic Division at Rambam Medical Centre, Haifa, Israel.
Dr. Prithvi said at MIOT, a man and woman – aged 27 and 36, had undergone hip replacement using the DAA method. He also said India could adopt the DAA method as it did not require a specialised table, that costs ₹1 crore, which was required for the conventional method.
The hospital has organised a session on Saturday in which 150 orthopaedic surgeons will participate and Dr. Nabil will explain the new procedure, Dr. Prithvi said.
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