Karnataka - Bangalore   

American undergoes surgery in city hospital

By Sahana Charan

BANGALORE, APRIL 10. Bangalore is emerging as a hub of medical tourism. This is evident from the large number of people from other countries coming to hospitals here for treatment.

The latest is 59-year-old Jack Rose. An American pilot working for a private airline here, he had the option of getting specialised treatment anywhere in the world but decided to undergo surgery in Bangalore for arthritis of his hip.

He successfully underwent "surface replacement surgery" at the Hospital for Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine, Arthritis and Accident Trauma (HOSMAT).

Mr. Rose had pain in his right hip, which ended in a limp. "I could not rest my leg and the pain was interfering with my work as a pilot. I consulted doctors in England and also in Cypress, California, which is my home. But then, I met Dr. Chandy of HOSMAT and he was very impressive. I also saw the facilities at the hospital and felt they were on a par with those elsewhere in the world. So I decided to have my surgery here," Mr. Rose told The Hindu .

Mr. Rose is a pilot with the private jet service of business tycoon Vijay Mallya and is based in Bangalore and Cypress. It is over a week since the operation was conducted and Mr. Rose is already walking without the support of a cane.

Surface replacement of the hip is a procedure where the diseased surface of the hip balls is covered by a cap. The surfaces of the thighbone and the cup-shaped cavity at the base of the hipbone are reshaped instead of removing them as is done in the more traditional procedure called "total hip replacement (THR)."

Computer navigation

The procedure is conducted all over the world and a few places in India for people who suffer from arthritis of the hip or avascular necrosis, which is also characterised by pain in the hip joint. But one of the highlights of Mr. Rose's operation was that the surgery was done using computer navigation system.

According to Dr. Chandy, orthopaedic specialist and Director of HOSMAT, who conducted the surgery, surface replacement of the hip is a better option for young patients with an active lifestyle, ideally those below 55 years.

\ Since Mr. Rose is working as a pilot and is quite active, he was an ideal candidate for the surgery.

"Surface replacement is a better alternative for patients who may earlier have been considered for a THR. Younger patients may outlive the THR where the initial implant may wear out over time," he said.

Dr. Chandy added that patients with avascular necrosis, which is common among young people in Bangalore, can also benefit from surface replacement procedure.

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