Patient undergoes robotic-assisted knee replacement with customised implant

For 53-year-old Raveendra Ittangudi from Kalaburagi, who had been suffering from dwarfism (height: 3.5 ft), carrying out normal activities had become very difficult. With severe osteoarthritis, he had severe leg pain that restricted his ability even to sit and walk.

The patient had previously undergone surgery to lengthen his thigh bone. However, his short stature posed complex surgical challenges, compounding the severity of the degeneration and deformities. 

Following a complex total knee replacement surgery conducted by doctors at Narayana Health City, he is now able to carry out normal movements. The procedure was performed using robotic-assisted technology combined with customizable implants.

Upon initial assessment, the patient exhibited limited knee function, persistent pain and atypical bone proportions that made standard knee implants unsuitable. Further thorough investigations, including X-rays, scanograms, and a detailed CT scan, revealed disproportionate distal femur dimensions that were too small for conventional prosthetics, underscoring the need for a highly customized approach, doctors said.

“Managing this case required more than a standard implant; we needed to precisely match the patient’s unique bone structure,” explained Prashanth B.N., Consultant Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement.

“Using CT imaging and 3D modelling, we designed patient-specific implants that accurately replicated the natural condylar proportions and ensured precise rotational alignment, which is essential for joint stability and function,” the doctor said.

This advanced approach not only restored knee function but also minimized complications associated with the patient’s complex anatomy. This unique case highlights the growing importance of patient-specific implants in treating advanced orthopaedic conditions, particularly as knee osteoarthritis becomes more prevalent in patients with varied and challenging anatomies, said Arun Ranganathan, Director and Head of the Department of Orthopedics, Spine and Trauma.

Published - November 07, 2024 10:38 pm IST