80yearold Goes All The Way To India For A New Knee (from Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
e mail the surgeon akvenkat15@hotmail.com
Friday, August 10, 2007
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Gender specific TKR video India
Video shows an American lady thrilled after her double gender specific knee replacements in Chennai.
For appointments mail akvenkat@gmail.com
akvenkat15@hotmail.com
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Total knee replacement video,
Video shows deformity correction
For an appointment e mail akvenkat@gmail.com
call 00 91 9282165002
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Video High flex knee replacement- patient testimonial in Telugu
KneeIndian patient video testimonial in Telugu of his minimally invasive High flex TKR at the Bharathiraja hospital Chennai by Dr.A.K.Venkatachalam
Contact by e mail akvenkat@gmail.com
Visit http://www.kneeindia.com
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Total knee replacement video ( Gender specific knee patient)
An Indian woman compares her two knees, one with a standard knee prosthesis and the current one with the Gender specific knee. Minimally invasive approach has helped her to recover faster and her knee feels more comfortable.
For an appointment to get your knee surgery done at Chennai's knee surgery centre, e mail akvenkat@gmail.com
Visit http://www.kneeindia.com
Friday, May 11, 2007
Less invasive (LIS) incison for gender specific knee
The gender specific solution knee is implanted in Chennai's Knee surgery center through less invasive surgical approaches with the incision measuring only 4 inches.
To seek an appointment call 00 91 9282165002
e mail akvenkat15@hotmail.com
Friday, April 27, 2007
TKR video of American patient in Chennai
Video shows an American expressing utter satisfaction about his bilateral knee surgery in India.Contact akvenkat15@hotmail.com or call 00 91 9282165002 for an appointment for knee replacements in India.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Knee surgery recovery video High flex ligament sparing surgery
To book an appointment for knee surgery e mail akvenkat@gmail.com, akvenkat15@hotmail.com
Call 00 91 9282165002
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Double High flex cruciate sparing less invasive knee replacements were performed for this official from New York's Epciscopal church at Chennai's Bharathiraja speciality hospital by Dr.A.K.Venkatachalam of www.kneeindia.comTalking about the surgery, GW had medial compartment arthritis in both knees. His gait had slowed down and he was in constant pain. He did'nt find relief with nerve stimulation, exercises, and medication. He decided to go under the scalpel to get rid of his pain once for all, a step few Indians take.
For more information or a quote on Knee replacements and surgery please e mail akvenkat@gmail.com or call 00 91 9282165002.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Bilateral unicondylar knee replacements
Photo shows a patient walking on the 2nd post op day after bilateral unicondylar mobile bearing knee replacements.Minimally invasive incision was used.
For an appointment e mail akvenkat@gmail.com
Visit http://www.kneeindia.com
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Knee replacement for Palestinian businessman from Quatar
A middle aged Palestinian businessman Mr.Najib underwent a High flex knee replacement at Bharathiraja hospital Chennai by Dr.Venkatachalam of www.kneeindia.com
Najib had injured his knee 25 years ago in a car accident and had suffered multiple injuries including a tibial plateau fracture.
In view of his young age he was submitted to a cruciate retaining High flex or Hi flex knee replacement.
He has since returned to Quatar after a holiday in Kerala with his family.
For an appointment with the surgeon email him at akvenkat@gmail.com akvenkat15@hotmail.com
or call 00 91 9282165002( mobile) or hospital 00 91 44 66961000
Friday, February 02, 2007
Painless Knee replacement for Briton in India - Patient story
A Britisher describes his bilateral knee replacement surgery in India. Surgery was rendered painless by regional infusion analgesia blocking the femoral nerve. He makes rapid recovery since he had no side effects of anesthesia.
To book an appointment for knee surgery e mail him akvenkat@gmail.com or akvenkat15@hotmail.com
Visit http://www.kneeindia.com
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Cruciate sparing High flex knee for Palestinian gentleman
This 54 year old Palestinian gentleman underwent a Cruciate sparing High flex knee replacement in view of his young age. He had developed secondary osteoarthritis from a depressed tibial plateau fracture and was keen to return to function including prayer.
Originally from Palestine, he is now settled in Doha, Quatar. Surgery was performed at the Bharathiraja speciality hospital by consultant in Joint replacement Dr.A.K.Venkatachalam of www.kneeindia.com
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Knee arthroscopy video- shows anatomy and a Microfracture procedure
Accompanying video shows arthroscpic examination of the knee and a microfracture procedure.
e mail - akvenkat@gmail.com
Call 00 91 9282165002
Visit www.kneeindia.com
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Testimonial of Knee replacement patient
This video demonstrates the high flex knee implanted in a British patient. Listen to his satisfactory experience in Chennai's Knee surgery centre
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Knee replacement video in India
In this video a British patient who underwent an High flexion knee replacement in Chennai by Dr.A.K.Venkatachalam of www.kneeindia.com talks about his favorable experience.
Functional ability with the High flex knee replacement through minimally inasive incision
This South Indian lady sitting in a cross legged, kneeling and offering Namaskarams position three months after surgery demonstrates the functional value of a high flex knee.
The accompanying photo shows the 5 inch long incision for a knee replacement. Less invasive surgery causes less blood loss, less pain and patients are able to get their function return faster. Contact akvenkat@gmail.com for an appointment for your knee surgery.Sunday, October 01, 2006
Video of patient with Partial ( Unicondylar ) knee replacements
Video shows numerous advantages of a partial knee replacement.Surgery performed by Dr.Venkatachalam of at Venkataeswara hospitals, Chennai.
For an appointment for knee surgery mail at akvenkat@gmail.comor call on mobile 00 91 9282165002
Visit www.kneeindia.com for more information on knee disorders.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Is knee arthritis inevitable with aging? Alternate surgical treatment for early arthritis and lesions
This is the common perception of Knee Osteoarthritis in our country where Primary Hip Osteoarthritis is rare. However in the recent past, it has been realized that not only are the elderly at definite risk of Osteoarthritis but many more of the middle aged and even young. Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of joint disease (arthritis) and is a leading cause of disability in older individuals in India and many countries. It is the common perception that wear and tear inevitable with aging alone leads to Osteoarthritis, but this is not the whole truth. As we shall see not only the elderly, but others are also vulnerable to Osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis (OA) in peripheral joints, most frequently involves the knee joint, and the disease may affect one or more of the three compartments of the knee. The knee joint acts to transfer force from the thigh muscles to the leg to move the body. Loads exerted on the surfaces of the knee during normal daily activities are two to seven times the body weight. It is therefore no wonder that the knee is so vulnerable to wear and tear (Osteoarthritis). Osteo-arthritic changes in the joint decrease the effectiveness of load transfer during these activities. Overall health is impaired and Knee OA has been to shown to account for more limitations in walking, stair climbing or other daily activities than any other disease. The form of the disease in the elderly is called primary osteoarthritis whereas the affliction of the young and middle aged is called Secondary osteoarthritis. Let us take a look at the risk factors for developing secondary osteoarthritis, which encompasses other age groups of people in the general population.
These are of two categories, General or systemic and local risks.
General risks
Evolution
Man along with two more mammals, the Elephant and the bear are the only animals to have straight knees. Evolutionarily straight knees are invaluable to minimize energy expenditure during walking so that the body does not tilt from side to side as it would do if the knees were bent in a two legged creature. The price or side effect of the erect posture is weight transmission occurring through the inner half of the knee joint. Therefore the inner half of the knee is susceptible to wear in the normal course of time.
Genetic factors
These play a major role in a generalized form of the disease known to affect some communities and families. Research is on to identify the exact genetic location that increases the susceptibility to OA.
Diet
Many degenerative diseases like Osteoarthritis are the result of tissue damage from “Free Oxygen radical” attack. Normal cartilage cells are known to reduce free radicals. Anti oxidants such as Vitamin A, C and E have the potential to protect against such tissue damage. It was found in a study that people consuming High amounts of Vitamin C have a 60- 70 per cent reduction in risk for progressive OA. High vitamin C intake levels were also found to be associated with a reduced risk for knee pain according to the same study.
Vitamin D plays an important role in bone mineralization. Results from the above study show that high levels are protective against progression of disease.
Bone mineral density
About three decades ago surgeons removing the head of the upper end of the thigh bone from elderly patients with hip fractures in the operation of partial hip replacement, observed that the end bone rarely showed arthritic changes. Since then, many studies have confirmed the inverse relationship between Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis. Currently research is on to determine if the medicines prescribed for Osteoporosis such as Calcitonin and Bisphoshphonates prevent the x- ray changes of OA and prevent cartilage breakdown.
Female hormonal deficiency (estrogen)
The incidence of Knee OA increases in Post menopausal women suggesting that estrogen deficiency might be a risk factor and that post menopausal women are more susceptible to osteoarthritis. Despite the obvious correlation, more research is needed to understand the relationships between bone mineral density, estrogen and OA. As females are the preponderant sex to suffer from OA knees, Female specific Knee implants or Prostheses have been developed for a Total knee replacement as the majority of people (two thirds) undergoing a knee replacement are women.
Local risk factors
Obesity
Increased body weight contributes to the increased load transmitted across the weight bearing knees by a factor of three to seven times the body weight and leads to accelerated wear of the articular cartilage. The relationship between obesity and Osteoarthritis is stronger for bilateral than unilateral disease and is greater in women than men. Since the load transmitted to the knees varies between three to seven fold the body weight, one fold reduction of weight leads to a three to seven fold decreased pressure on the knees. In addition the knee alignment may affect the impact of body weight on the knee joint. Knees with bow legs are more stressed by body weight resulting in more severe inner compartment arthritis.
Physical activity
There is no evidence that participation in light or moderate levels of physical activity (walking, running, dancing, cycling, gardening, and outdoor sports) throughout the life cycle will increase an individual’s risk of developing knee OA. This means that even middle aged people can safely participate in these activities without risk of developing osteoarthritis.
However participation in high intensity contact sports is strongly linked to development of knee OA in elite athletes. Many tennis players, runners, professional soccer players are more likely to suffer from knee arthritis and Patello-femoral OA than age matched controls.
Occupational activity
Men in occupations that require repetitive overuse of the knee joint for example, carpenters, painters, miners, dock workers have an increased risk of developing knee OA. Crouching, kneeling, squatting, climbing stairs and lifting heavy loads all cause abnormal joint loading across the knee joint and lead to cartilage damage. The risk factors are similar in both men and women.
Injury
Several studies in Europe and America have confirmed that knee injury is a strong predictor for the development of knee OA. Most Knee injuries involve the ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament and ACL rupture is often associated with meniscal damage or a tear in the medial collateral ligament. ACL injuries occur after two wheeler accidents, domestic and outdoor accidents. Both ACL deficiency and meniscal rupture are strongly linked to early degenerative arthritic changes. Although at present it is not clear to what extent the common operation of ACL reconstruction can delay the onset of arthritis, some studies show that early ACL reconstruction with meniscal preservation and not menisectomy provides the greatest protection. A poor outcome after knee injuries is seen in patients who have undergone a partial or total menisectomy an operation which is commonly performed by surgeons. Meniscal suture and Meniscal transplant are ways to protect against osteoarthritis. The former operation is available but the later is yet to kick off from early teething problems. A meniscal transplant facility was announced in Chennai last year but supply of grafts has not been forthcoming.
Mechanical environment of the knees
It is easy to comprehend how any joint or bearing can wear out quickly by understanding what happens to your car tyres if the alignment and balancing is not perfect or if the pressure is more or less. The treads on the overloaded portion of the tyre wear out more. The same analogy applies to the knees. Knees which have a bend like the one shown in the picture will wear out faster. Increased joint laxity an accompaniment of age contributes to OA.>Muscle strength
It is a well known observation that people with OA have weakness of the quadriceps muscles. It was assumed that decreased muscle strength is the result of disuse atrophy secondary to knee pain; however it has been noted recently that many patients with asymptomatic knee arthritis have weak muscles. Therefore it makes sense to develop the thigh muscles to prevent arthritis or ameliorate the symptoms after its development, but is to be noted that increasing muscle strength will not arrest progression of the disease.
In summary Knee Osteoarthritis once considered an inevitable consequence of aging is now recognized to be multi-factorial, resulting from the interaction of a variety of general and local factors like age, genetic predisposition, obesity, trauma and mechanical properties of the joint. The traditional surgical treatment of OA “a total knee replacement” is the best long term cost effective solution. However other operations like an osteotomy to correct the alignment of the bones around the knee, ACL reconstruction, cartilage surgery, medications are available to different affected groups of patients. They will not condemn the patient to developing Osteoarthritis in earlier age and become a candidate for a total knee replacement.
For alternate surgical options visit www.kneeindia.com
Osteoarthritis (OA) in peripheral joints, most frequently involves the knee joint, and the disease may affect one or more of the three compartments of the knee. The knee joint acts to transfer force from the thigh muscles to the leg to move the body. Loads exerted on the surfaces of the knee during normal daily activities are two to seven times the body weight. It is therefore no wonder that the knee is so vulnerable to wear and tear (Osteoarthritis). Osteo-arthritic changes in the joint decrease the effectiveness of load transfer during these activities. Overall health is impaired and Knee OA has been to shown to account for more limitations in walking, stair climbing or other daily activities than any other disease. The form of the disease in the elderly is called primary osteoarthritis whereas the affliction of the young and middle aged is called Secondary osteoarthritis. Let us take a look at the risk factors for developing secondary osteoarthritis, which encompasses other age groups of people in the general population.
These are of two categories, General or systemic and local risks.
General risks
Evolution
Man along with two more mammals, the Elephant and the bear are the only animals to have straight knees. Evolutionarily straight knees are invaluable to minimize energy expenditure during walking so that the body does not tilt from side to side as it would do if the knees were bent in a two legged creature. The price or side effect of the erect posture is weight transmission occurring through the inner half of the knee joint. Therefore the inner half of the knee is susceptible to wear in the normal course of time.
Genetic factors
These play a major role in a generalized form of the disease known to affect some communities and families. Research is on to identify the exact genetic location that increases the susceptibility to OA.
Diet
Many degenerative diseases like Osteoarthritis are the result of tissue damage from “Free Oxygen radical” attack. Normal cartilage cells are known to reduce free radicals. Anti oxidants such as Vitamin A, C and E have the potential to protect against such tissue damage. It was found in a study that people consuming High amounts of Vitamin C have a 60- 70 per cent reduction in risk for progressive OA. High vitamin C intake levels were also found to be associated with a reduced risk for knee pain according to the same study.
Vitamin D plays an important role in bone mineralization. Results from the above study show that high levels are protective against progression of disease.
Bone mineral density
About three decades ago surgeons removing the head of the upper end of the thigh bone from elderly patients with hip fractures in the operation of partial hip replacement, observed that the end bone rarely showed arthritic changes. Since then, many studies have confirmed the inverse relationship between Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis. Currently research is on to determine if the medicines prescribed for Osteoporosis such as Calcitonin and Bisphoshphonates prevent the x- ray changes of OA and prevent cartilage breakdown.
Female hormonal deficiency (estrogen)
The incidence of Knee OA increases in Post menopausal women suggesting that estrogen deficiency might be a risk factor and that post menopausal women are more susceptible to osteoarthritis. Despite the obvious correlation, more research is needed to understand the relationships between bone mineral density, estrogen and OA. As females are the preponderant sex to suffer from OA knees, Female specific Knee implants or Prostheses have been developed for a Total knee replacement as the majority of people (two thirds) undergoing a knee replacement are women.
Local risk factors
Obesity
Increased body weight contributes to the increased load transmitted across the weight bearing knees by a factor of three to seven times the body weight and leads to accelerated wear of the articular cartilage. The relationship between obesity and Osteoarthritis is stronger for bilateral than unilateral disease and is greater in women than men. Since the load transmitted to the knees varies between three to seven fold the body weight, one fold reduction of weight leads to a three to seven fold decreased pressure on the knees. In addition the knee alignment may affect the impact of body weight on the knee joint. Knees with bow legs are more stressed by body weight resulting in more severe inner compartment arthritis.
Physical activity
There is no evidence that participation in light or moderate levels of physical activity (walking, running, dancing, cycling, gardening, and outdoor sports) throughout the life cycle will increase an individual’s risk of developing knee OA. This means that even middle aged people can safely participate in these activities without risk of developing osteoarthritis.
However participation in high intensity contact sports is strongly linked to development of knee OA in elite athletes. Many tennis players, runners, professional soccer players are more likely to suffer from knee arthritis and Patello-femoral OA than age matched controls.
Occupational activity
Men in occupations that require repetitive overuse of the knee joint for example, carpenters, painters, miners, dock workers have an increased risk of developing knee OA. Crouching, kneeling, squatting, climbing stairs and lifting heavy loads all cause abnormal joint loading across the knee joint and lead to cartilage damage. The risk factors are similar in both men and women.
Injury
Several studies in Europe and America have confirmed that knee injury is a strong predictor for the development of knee OA. Most Knee injuries involve the ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament and ACL rupture is often associated with meniscal damage or a tear in the medial collateral ligament. ACL injuries occur after two wheeler accidents, domestic and outdoor accidents. Both ACL deficiency and meniscal rupture are strongly linked to early degenerative arthritic changes. Although at present it is not clear to what extent the common operation of ACL reconstruction can delay the onset of arthritis, some studies show that early ACL reconstruction with meniscal preservation and not menisectomy provides the greatest protection. A poor outcome after knee injuries is seen in patients who have undergone a partial or total menisectomy an operation which is commonly performed by surgeons. Meniscal suture and Meniscal transplant are ways to protect against osteoarthritis. The former operation is available but the later is yet to kick off from early teething problems. A meniscal transplant facility was announced in Chennai last year but supply of grafts has not been forthcoming.
Mechanical environment of the knees
It is easy to comprehend how any joint or bearing can wear out quickly by understanding what happens to your car tyres if the alignment and balancing is not perfect or if the pressure is more or less. The treads on the overloaded portion of the tyre wear out more. The same analogy applies to the knees. Knees which have a bend like the one shown in the picture will wear out faster. Increased joint laxity an accompaniment of age contributes to OA.>Muscle strength
It is a well known observation that people with OA have weakness of the quadriceps muscles. It was assumed that decreased muscle strength is the result of disuse atrophy secondary to knee pain; however it has been noted recently that many patients with asymptomatic knee arthritis have weak muscles. Therefore it makes sense to develop the thigh muscles to prevent arthritis or ameliorate the symptoms after its development, but is to be noted that increasing muscle strength will not arrest progression of the disease.
In summary Knee Osteoarthritis once considered an inevitable consequence of aging is now recognized to be multi-factorial, resulting from the interaction of a variety of general and local factors like age, genetic predisposition, obesity, trauma and mechanical properties of the joint. The traditional surgical treatment of OA “a total knee replacement” is the best long term cost effective solution. However other operations like an osteotomy to correct the alignment of the bones around the knee, ACL reconstruction, cartilage surgery, medications are available to different affected groups of patients. They will not condemn the patient to developing Osteoarthritis in earlier age and become a candidate for a total knee replacement.
For alternate surgical options visit www.kneeindia.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)