Manipal Hospitals Goa achieved a milestone when consultant, hip and knee replacement surgeon, Dr Rohan Dessai, successfully performed a rare and complicated surgery on a patient suffering from a deformed femur.
Being one of the first joint replacement surgeon from Goa to perform Augmented Reality Total Knee Replacement, Dr Dessai turns out to be one of the only few in the country to do so.
SUCCESS WITH AR SURGERY
Speaking on the success of the surgery, Desai said, “The patient had a deformed femur (thigh bone) and shin bone (tibia) on account of malunited fractures and surgeries over a period of 6-7 years."
"This led to post-traumatic arthritis of the knee which warranted a total knee replacement surgery. However, due to deformed bones, a standard or conventional total knee replacement surgery was impossible. The only options left were robotic knee replacement or Augmented Reality-assisted total knee replacement," added Desai.
Desai said that for the AR-assisted total knee replacement, the surgeon wears a headband with AR glasses while conducting the surgery.
ADVANTAGES OF AR
There are several advantages of AR-based total knee replacement over computer navigation-assisted total knee replacement.
In computer navigation, there is a screen which the surgeon has to keep looking at time and again. Hence, the surgeon has to take his eyes off the patient.
In robotic knee replacement surgery, before the procedure, a CT scan (equivalent to 100 x-rays) is needed. In AR-based total knee replacement, there is no such need. Information is displayed in front of the surgeon’s eyes which helps in real-time navigation, is less time-consuming, and comes with a low learning curve for the surgeon.
Unlike the robotic knee replacement, AR-based robotic knee replacement is a cost-effective treatment procedure, according to Dr Dessai.
THE BENEFITS OF AR
This technology enables surgeons to view important data through the use of special smart glasses or helmet-based visors while maintaining their view of the surgical site.
In this way, AR differs from virtual reality (VR). AR superimposes digital content, including data and 3D images, onto the user’s view.
Surgeons use this information to attain precision and receive real-time feedback when removing bone and cartilage, and placing a knee implant.
Director, Manipal Hospitals, Goa, Surendra Prasad, said, “I congratulate Dr Rohan Dessai, for the intricate diagnosis and treatment provided, thus giving a better quality of life to the patient."
