Blessed With a New Lease of Life at Moolchand

Moolchand Orthopaedics Hospital, New Delhi recently carried a rare surgery, on a 66 year old Nigerian lady Blessing Nelson Udoh, very successfully. Udoh was unable to walk as a result of advanced crippling arthritis and severely bent crooked knees. She underwent bilateral Total Knee Replacement surgery at Moolchand where a new technique of bloodless bilateral complex knee replacement surgery was used. It was reportedly the first of its kind in India.

Th standard procedure used for knee replacement surgery integrally needs blood transfusions of two units per knee. The requirement of blood is a surgical workup prerequisite.

However, Udoh is a Jehovah’s Witness, a Christian section that do not accept blood transfusion of any kind other than their own blood. Hence, the need for the new technique which did not need blood transfusion.

“An auto transfusion knee drain technique has been used in this case, wherein patient’s blood get collected in a filtered reservoir connected to the replaced knee. This blood is then transfused back to the patient within six hours. This obviates the need for any blood transfusion thus minimising the risks associated with it”, said Dr Gupta, consultant, Joint Replacement, Moolchand Orthopedics Hospital who did the complex bilateral knee replacement surgery with a bloodless technique.

Speaking about the patient’s recovery, Dr Gupta went on to say that the patient was very happy and thankful as despite being a high risk with the complicated nature of operation, she is now walking on her own straight legs.”

EH News Bureau