Sixty-nine-year-old, Richard from Botswana was admitted to Wockhardt Hospitals, South Mumbai – India with progressive pain in the right knee. In the past, he had suffered from a traumatic accident that damaged his knee when he was 19 years old, and ever since he has been suffering from constant knee pain intermittently. Before visiting Wockhardt Hospitals – India, Richard had consulted an orthopedic surgeon in South Africa as he felt that his knee pain was getting worse. The doctor suggested non-conservative measures and suggested waiting for 4 years before looking at surgery as an option.
Initially, to reduce his discomfort, Richard decided to manage his knee pain through measures that included losing weight, restricting strenuous exercises or work, physiotherapy, and gentle exercises. He took pain killers including anti-inflammatory and mild opioid analgesics for relieving his pain. However, this brought in only interim aid but none of these measures provided any permanent relief.
Richard started experiencing intense knee pain in the past year but then after a few weeks, the pain had increased and had become excruciating. It was continuous and present throughout the day. It became worse on climbing stairs or while getting up from a sitting position. The knee pain significantly started interfering with Richard’s daily activities. He realized that he would probably need surgery and decided to explore various hospitals outside Botswana. Initially, Richard was seeking medical advice from doctors in South Africa and Europe but then through reliable sources, he was advised to mediate with an international cell of Wockhardt Hospital South Mumbai through an agent in Botswana. This initiated the entire process of him connecting with Dr. Mudit Khanna, a very experienced and reputed senior orthopedic consultant at Wockhardt Hospitals India, South Mumbai. Dr. Khanna has performed successful advanced knee replacement surgeries on both local and international patients and has vast experience in joint replacement surgeries.
At the hospital, Dr. Mudit Khanna examined the patient and it was observed that whilst walking he was the patient had an antalgic gait. Fluid had collected around the knee which was causing then swelling around it. There was an associated fixed flexion deformity of about 10 degrees and alignment was in 10 degrees varus but partially correctible. When Dr. Khanna asked the patient to bend his knee or make any movement at the joint Richard found the pain unbearable. Fortunately, there was no nerve damage yet around the knee. An X-ray revealed complete loss of medial joint space of the knee joint.
The patient had recently done a cataract eye surgery for the right eye by Dr. Sandeep Kataria, ophthalmic surgeon at Wockhardt Hospital a few days ago. He was also a Known case of Pulmonary Embolism and deep vein for which he was on treatment. After all necessary investigations were done, he was deemed fit for surgery. Dr. Mudit Khanna carried out a Right Total Knee Replacement done by Medial Parapatellar Approach under spinal anesthesia. The surgery was successful and the patient was made to even walk on the very same day after surgery, in the evening. He was making steady progress with physiotherapy and the pain swelling was significantly reduced. He was able to walk freely now with confidence pain-free. Mr. Richard appreciated the efficient administration processes, medical care, food arrangements, and world-class facilities that he received at Wockhardt Hospitals. Richard highly recommends Wockhardt hospitals for their efforts and believes that the hospital is one of the best super specialty hospitals in India for international patients. He is very grateful and thankful to Dr. Mudit Khanna and Dr. Kataria for their exemplary efforts and supports throughout his stay at the hospital, especially in these unprecedented times.
