FIRST TIME IN KARNATAKA UNITED HOSPITALS BANGALORE CONDUCTS AUTOLOGOUS CARTILAGE TRANSPLANT BY ARTHROSCOPY

Bengaluru, July 23, 2022: Sportspersons of the city and other locations now have an integrated place for the treatment of sports injuries at the United Hospital Bangalore. A recent case of treatment for sports injuries is that of Ajay, a young footballer who injured his ankle during one of his football matches. After visiting various doctors, he consulted Dr Pradyumna R, Consultant Orthopaedician at United Hospital

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed damaged cartilage in the ankle. After careful consideration, Dr Pradyumna R decided to do an Autologous Cartilage transplant by Arthroscopy – a minimally invasive surgery (keyhole)- to heal the damaged cartilage. This technique was done for the very first time in Karnataka at United Hospital Jayanagar Bangalore.

 Dr Pradyumna R said that “Articular cartilage lesions in the athletic population are observed increasingly, due to limited intrinsic healing capacity, leading to progressive pain and incomplete and improper healing over time. If left untreated, isolated cartilage lesions can lead to progressive chondrogenic loss or the whole cartilage being lost over time”

 Trained in Arthroscopy & Sports Medicine relating to Shoulder, Elbow & Ankle Arthroscopy from the pioneers of the field in Germany, Dr Pradyumna strives to help people regain mobility and lead a healthier life. He is himself a sports enthusiast and loves cycling, playing badminton & swimming in his free time. Professional athletes and sports hobbyists are prone to cartilage damage. This may be due to repetitive action particularly twisting, jumping, and deep knee bends or a sudden traumatic injury like forceful pulling or a direct impact.

 Dr. Vikram Siddareddy, Founder & Managing Director of United Hospital explained, “The technology uses the patient’s own cartilage cells collected from the patient’s joint and this tissue is mixed with the patient's own protein-rich part of the patient’s blood to form a gel-like substance, and this is filled into the defective areas. This develops into the new cartilage in a few weeks thereby preventing further damage in the joints and halting the progression of arthritis in the joints. With just keyhole surgery the process was carried out for the patient as a single-stage procedure. Ajay recovered well and is continuing the exercise and rehabilitation programme. He will be able to play his favourite sport again very soon”, he further added.

 Recently a great number of sports-related injuries are seen as people renew their sports activities after the COVID pandemic. United Hospital is one of the best-equipped hospitals in Bangalore in terms of infrastructure, equipment, operation theatres, trained staff, management that is forward-looking and dedicated to patient welfare, and India’s first Autologous Cartilage Transplant being conducted here, United Hospital Jayanagar is the destination for sports injury correction” says Dr Shanthkumar Muruda, Executive Director and Head, Diagnostic and Wellness.

 Cartilage defects in the joints are usually treated without any surgical procedure. Prolonged immobilization, rest etc. are the norm in India which prevents people from continuing with their sports activities because of pain, stiffness, and incomplete recovery in the affected joints.

 "At United Hospital the best techniques in the world are used to treat all sports-related injuries. Autologous Cartilage Transplant is done in a single setting, uses keyhole surgery and is less costly and convenient for the patient as opposed to conventional ACI which needs two different surgeries six weeks apart, "Dr Muruda added.