Times News NetworkMumbai: When 70-year-old Prakash Waigankar was told he needed a total knee replacement, he sought opinions from several doctors. While some recommended surgery, others advised him to wait.The Goregaon resident then turned to KEM Hospital in Parel, an institution he had known since childhood. Doctors advised surgery but offered him a newer option: a cementless knee implant, which they said was being performed for the first time in Mumbai.On Aug 24, Waigankar underwent a left total knee replacement using the customised implant.“My left knee was bent, but now it is straight after the surgery. The pain is so much less than before,” he said.Unlike conventional knee replacements, which use bone cement to fix the implant, cementless implants have a porous surface that allows the patient’s bone to grow into and secure the implant. Prof Dr S Mohanty of KEM’s orthopaedic department, who performed the surgery, said the technique could become increasingly relevant as younger and more active patients undergo knee replacements.“Cement can eventually come loose. The cementless implant has a porous surface that allows bone to grow into it, making the fixation firmer. This is designed for the long term,” he said.Cemented fixation remains the standard for knee replacement, but concerns over loosening have fuelled interest in cementless implants, particularly for younger patients, according to a 2021 review in the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics by New York-based Dr Amar S Ranawat.Dr Mohanty said cementless hip replacements had been used for much longer, while the technology for knees was relatively newer. Cost had been a barrier, but Indian-made implants could make the procedure more affordable, he said.At KEM, the medical team led by Dr Mohanty and dean Dr Harish Pathak worked for a week to secure the first-in-Mumbai achievement; one of the first tasks was to order the customised implant for Waigankar from the Indian company, which arrived in four to five days. “There is one instance of cementless knee replacement being used in Delhi, after that it is Waigankar’s surgery,” said the doctors.For Waigankar, the benefit was immediate and tangible: after living with a bent and painful knee, he can now stand straighter. “I am happy that I decided to come to KEM,” he said.
