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Heal your knees with 'zero replacement' surgery

Dubai - The 'zero technique' Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery, usually done in under an hour

Living with constant pain in the knee was making life tough for Sunil Dang, a businessman based in Dubai. The idea of knee surgery along with the pain associated and the long recovery time, always made him anxious. Dang finally found solace with the zero technique and is back to business happier than ever.
"I was apprehensive about knee replacement surgery because of its success rate and recovery time. It was the positivity and confidence of Dr Vikram Shah, chairman and managing director of Shalby Hospitals, India, who was visiting Dubai during the time, that helped me. Dr Shah conducts the 'zero technique' Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery, usually done in under an hour.
Explaining the process, Dr Shah said: "Normally, surgeons take approximately two hours to conduct a TKR surgery. The usual incision is about seven inches, but my cut is smaller, about four inches. When I cut less, there is less bleeding, less pain, and no requirement for blood transfusion, all of which accelerate recovery. I do the surgery under spinal anaesthesia which makes recovery even quicker."
Knee Replacement Surgery is required when a patient is having damage to cartilage (arthritis) of knee joint. The most common reason for arthritis of knee is usually ageing (primary osteoarthritis). Other reasons for it can be rheumatoid arthritis or post-traumatic arthritis. Due to damage of the cartilage, patient starts feeling pain while walking, standing and climbing stairs, their legs become deformed, and they start walking with abnormal gait.
For Rupa Hingorani, 69, undergoing a surgery at her age was unthinkable but understanding the zero technique made it easier. "I had some cartilage issue and was facing difficulty in walking. I was avoiding knee replacement as I thought it would be a long, painful and tedious method but after getting reassured by Dr Shah, I went ahead. It was the best decision I made at the time. The surgery didn't even take an hour and I was able to walk with assistance only three hours after the surgery! Within two days, I was able to walk without support. I was allowed to leave the hospital just four days after the operation and life has been good since that."
Elaborating on the zero technique, Dr Shah said: "I eliminate all occasions of delay that surgeons usually have. Surgeons tend to hold several trials of the joint which takes up at least 15 minutes of extra time. When I make the incision, I complete the soft tissue balancing immediately and after placing the knee, there is only a single trial."
Why is it called zero technique?
"It is called so as everything comes to almost at 'zero' level, be it surgery time, method, recovery, hospital stay, drugs, blood loss, patient and relatives' mental stress etc. Even the need for blood transfusion is minimised," Dr Shah explained.
The zero technique is a technique that involves prior planning, implant selection, surgical technique planning and patient counselling, among other things, he adds. He has also developed the OS Needle (orthopaedic surgeon's needle that can pass through both bone and soft tissue easily), reducing surgery and recovery time considerably. Success rate as per implant longevity provides survival of 21 years in more than 90 per cent of the cases.
saman@khaleejtimes.com
 
Advantages of zero technique TKR:
> Overall recovery after surgery happens faster
> Patient can start walking on the same day, use stairs on the second day and majority of the patients are able to go back homes on the third day of surgery
> As it is less painful, we require less physiotherapy after surgery
> Success rate as per implant longevity provides survival of 21 years in more than 90% cases
> Patient starts walking within 4 to 6 hours after surgery and leg is not put in cast after surgery
 
Common reasons for knee replacement:
> When a patient is having damage to the cartilage of knee joint.
> The arthritis of knee usually happens to ageing (primary osteoarthritis)
> Rheumatoid arthritis or post traumatic arthritis.
> The patient legs become deformed and start walking with abnormal gait.