Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad has successfully performed South India’s first daycare Fast Track Total Knee Replacement surgery on a 65-year-old diabetic patient.

Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, performed the first Fast Track Total Knee Replacement in South India. Fast Track Total Knee Replacement is a daycare knee replacement surgery, devoid of hospital stay, minimal aftereffects of anaesthesia, pain, trauma, infection, above all speedy recovery and being back to normal routine in a couple of days. The revolutionary surgery was performed on a known diabetic 65-year-old female patient, by a team led by Dr K J Reddy, Senior Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, on November 2nd, 2020. The patient was discharged the same evening after five hours of post-surgery observation, she has fully recovered since and is going about with her routine with ease and great comfort.

Total knee Replacement (TKR) is a commonly performed but advanced orthopaedic procedure for severe, disabling knee pain due to Knee Arthritis. The excruciating knee pain often limits patient mobility and daily routine, warranting Total Knee Replacement. The surgery involves replacement of surfaces of the damaged knee joint with high quality metal implant, which restores the patient ability to walk pain free as before. Being a major procedure, it requires 3 or 4 days hospital stay traditionally.

The latest advances in perioperative management revolutionises Total Knee Replacement, reduces hospital stay to less than a day, enables the patient to be on his legs quickly and embrace an independent, superior quality life, says Dr K J Reddy.

The patient who underwent the first Fast Track Total Knee Replacement, Mrs Rita Verma, was unable to walk properly and perform her routine, due to severe pain in left knee because of degenerative osteoarthritis. The minimal trauma and being able to return home same day appealed to her and family and they opted for the Fast Track procedure. Being a known Diabetic, she underwent thorough pre-anaesthetic evaluation and after being deemed to be fit for surgery, was admitted early in the morning of November 2nd. Post an uncomplicated and successful surgery, she was kept under observation for five hours and was discharged by 2 pm the same day. Later at home, she was constantly monitored for the next two days by a nurse with the aid of all vital monitoring equipment and monitors, installed by Apollo Home Care Team at her home. A Physician and Physiotherapist visited her on both the days while the E-ICU facility at Apollo Hospitals ensured round the clock observation by Senior Doctors and critical care team from the hospital. The round-the-clock and high quality care coupled with physiotherapy enabled her to walk pain free the very next day.

The Fast Track surgery with enormous patient benefits is set to revolutionise knee replacements in India, in no time the traditional knee surgery may become redundant. Treating surgeons and support teams being adept with latest techniques, aided by state-of-the-art E-ICU facilities, can bring about a rapid transition.

The Fast Track Total Knee Replacement is a sophisticated procedure currently performed only at a few centers having the requisite infrastructure and proficient specialist teams. It involves using advanced surgical techniques performed with miniature instruments while administering regional anesthesia limited to the leg region. Miniature instruments ensure minimal incision, that coupled with regional anesthesia significantly diminishes pain, trauma, complications, infections and side effects generally associated with a surgery, besides aiding in the patient recouping fast. The post-surgery recovery period spent at home with suitable and manageable precautions, substantially reduces scope of infection. The homely ambience, home cooked food and staying amidst dear ones, accelerates recovery by manifold. However, the treating surgeon needs to be extra cautious while selecting the patient for this procedure, as patients over 80 years of age and those with co-morbidities need to be thoroughly assessed and only those found to be suitable should be considered for the new procedure.