What is STEM CELL TREATMENT? How does it help in patients with joint pains?

Stem cells are premature growing cells, which can be transformed to any desired cells. In India we don’t have permission to use them. The stem cells which can be used are CARTILAGE FORMING CELLS (CHONDROBLASTS), and BONE FORMING CELLS (OSTEOBLASTS) are taken from patients body and grown in a certified laboratory.These cartilage stem cells are approved and can be used in patients with knee, shoulder pain.The bone stem cells are used in fractures that are not uniting, in AVN avascular necrosis of hip joint.This treatment has good success and can delay joint replacement.

How do you IMPROVE LIFE OF KNEE REPLACEMENT?

The success of knee replacement depends on 4 factors:

  • A good patient - who follows doctors advice
  • A good surgeon - who can achieve perfect alignment with well balanced ligaments
  • A good surgery - using minimally Invasive approach or muscle preserving surgery helps in early recovery
  • A good implant - using high exion implant made of zirconium and cross-linked plastic which can last for over 20 years.

People are scared of pain following knee replacement? How do you prevent such severe pain?

Using modern pain control techniques, we can reduce the severe pain.

  • PCA: PATIENT CONTROLLED ANALGESIA -patients are given a remote which can be triggered as and when required. PCA reduces the risk of drug related complications.
  • EPIDURAL ANAESTHESIA - patients control their vital functions like heart and respiration. Epidural can be continued for up to 2-3 days till the patient becomes mobile.
  • LOCAL INJECTION OF Anesthetic (ROPIVACAINE)- Ropivacaine cock tail of injection given into posterior capsule and anterior soft tissues following surgery give excellent pain control after surgery. BUVALOR PATCH - Bupivacaine applied on skin controls pain for upto 7days.

Is CAS COMPUTER ASSISTED KNEE REPLACEMENT better than standard knee replacement?

The most common cause FAILURE FOLLOWING Knee replacement is ASEPTIC LOOSENING that is because of bad positioning of knee implants.When you look at all the X rays following knee replacement, in about 10% of cases the knee implants are badly positioned. We call them “OUTLIERS” and these patients have high risk of early failure. Acceptable alignment is 0-3 degrees.

Non- acceptable alignment (high risk of failure) is above 3 degrees.

Using COMPUTER TO NAVIGATE (like a GPRS or Google maps for directions) will help in getting best possible alignment which will in turn increase the life of knee replacement.The old generation navigation machines were difficult to use and time consuming. The new NAVIGATION MACHINES “B BRAUN ORTHO PILOT” are very easy to use and don’t take more time. The results are excellent.