Dr Kaushal Malhan, Orthopedic Surgeon TKR Surgery

Fortis Hospitals ushers in the Latest Technology in Knee Replacement-
“For the first time in Mumbai a Hospital has performed a virtual surgery before an actual surgery”

Mumbai, 19th May 2011: Ushering in the latest Joint a Replacement Surgery, Fortis Hospitals Mulund announced PSI (Patient Specific Instrumentation) Knee Replacement Surgery which allows the doctor to plan and literally execute the surgery even before touching the patient. This increases accuracy & improves decision making at time of operation.

Dr. Kaushal Malhan, Knee & Joint replacement surgeon, Fortis Hospitals for the first time in Mumbai performed a bilateral knee replacement on a 61 year old suffering from severe osteoarthritis using this technique. Before actually performing the bilateral knee replacement surgery, Dr Malhan operated the patient virtually on software using 3D images of the patient’s knees.

Dr. Kaushal Malhan, Knee & Joint replacement surgeon, Fortis Hospitals Mulund said, “In conventional knee replacement methods of all the thinking and planning occurs at time of surgery after the knee has been opened. This increases time spent and also the possibility of error. Techniques like computer navigation help to increase the accuracy of bone cuts but do not allow planning of these before the time of surgery whereas in PSI knee replacement a surgeon can select options preoperatively. The exact replica of the patient’s bones is made available as a 3D model on the computer. The surgical cuts and spatial placement of implants can then be done virtually on computer using specialized software and this model. The surgeon can almost do the operation for that patient on the computer even before taking the patient to the operation theatre.”

Before surgery, doctor takes a MRI for a very precise, three-dimensional (3-D) measurement of the knee. Using this 3-D image and specialized computer software, surgeon creates a detailed plan for the surgery. Instruments are then manufactured so as to allow the surgeon to simply mimic what they have already done on the computer. At time of the actual operation one has to simply execute the plan using these instruments designed for that particular patient.

Mr. Vijay Ratna, Regional General Manager, Fortis Hospitals Mulund said, “The operation for knee replacement has been performed for the first time in Mumbai using the PSI technology. This is indeed a medical breakthrough and likely to revolutionize the way knee replacement surgeries are performed in India. We are glad to be the first adapters of this technology. Our ultimate objective is to ensure the best treatment for patients with better results.”

Case Details:

A 61 year old lady (weighing around 114 kgs) was having severe osteoarthritis which involved both the knees. Her knees were permanently bent since the last few years and she could bend her knees only upto 70- 80 degrees on both the sides. PSI knee replacement was successfully performed on her and was able to walk the next day of the surgery.