Chennai, April 30 (IANS) A leading orthopaedic hospital here Wednesday launched a new ‘Joint for Life’ technology that provides joint replacement equipment that will last a lifetime. It also started an awareness campaign about its benefits. The Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (MIOT) Hospitals said this would do away with revision surgeries otherwise needed for implants done earlier.

“A key element in a replacement surgery is the artificial joint that is used. Today, the need of the hour, if I am looking for a knee or hip replacement, is a joint for life,” said P.V.A. Mohandas, managing director of MIOT Hospitals.

“When patients consider the serious decision of going for a joint implant, we believe with today’s advancement in material science, technology and surgical expertise, they have a right to demand a joint for life, whatever their age may be,” the hospital said.

“The earliest implant surgeries in India were done in the 1970’s. Many of these implants are now wearing out due to non-durable materials used. Another reason for early failure of the implant is improper placement during surgery,” Mohandas explained.

“With more and more people seeking to lead active lives even in their 70s and beyond, there has been a tremendous increase in the demand for knee and hip replacement surgeries.

“The need for joint replacement is increasing among the younger population too due to stressful lifestyles and higher incidence of accidents,” he said.

About the hospital’s new technology, he said: “With this, they (patients) gain confidence of getting the best that science and surgery offers. More importantly, they are saved from the trauma and additional cost associated with revision surgeries. Our endeavour is to build this awareness among patients across India.”

The Joint for Life concept has been developed based on MIOT’s research, backed by its experience of over 35 years of having conducted over 21,000 hip and knee replacement surgeries and revision surgeries.

MIOT’s Joint for Life deals with two aspects - the choice of implant and its precise placement.

There are over 500 types of joints available for joint replacement. The choice of an implant involves an assessment of the disease, quality of the bone, age, activity levels and medical condition of the patient, Mohandas said.

The right implant fits smoothly and the patient is comfortable and active for life. The wrong implant leads to discomfort, wear and tear and possibly, another surgery in a few years, say medical experts.

“Once the right implant is chosen, surgeons then place it with zero-error precision supported by computer navigation and experience,” Mohandas explained.

It is a “minimally invasive surgery with no muscle cutting”, and the patient could even start walking in one-and-a-half hours after the surgery, he added.