Going in for knee implant? Beware of false claims

In case you are planning to undergo a knee replacement surgery, watch out for tall claims made by companies making artificial limbs. Specially designed knees for more flexibility and those designed specially for females are nothing save false claims.

Experts say such claims are made to attract patients undergoing surgery, who at times compel doctors to use the advertised implants. “There is no difference between the knee of a male and that of a female. If I show original human bones of both, no one can spot a difference. Then how can artificial implants be made differently?” pointed out Dr Sandeep Kapoor, founder of the Arthritis Foundation of Lucknow (AFL).

Companies also claim dur- ing selection of implants that there would be no need of a revision surgery and that people in various countries had successfully used the implant. Patients who are already troubled about postoperation results for knee replacement, longevity of the replaced knee and results after surgery and are in quest for correct answers, are further misled by such claims.

According to an AFL study, almost every household in the state capital has someone suffering from arthritis. In the past few years, arthritis has become the most common chronic condition, as people surrender to modern lifestyle san physical activity. But ironically, when it comes to the right treatment, patients are wide off the mark, courtesy the misinformation about designer implants.

For people in the crippling stage, replacement is the only option but here too myths prevail, according to Dr Kapoor, as patients are often misled by half-baked information about treatment.

For instance, companies claim they have gender-based implants, as well as those which facilitate squatting and outdoor sports. “All this is false. Replacement surgeries only make your day-to-day activity possible as per your age. Hence, if you are getting replacement surgery at 60 years, you will be able to walk comfortably but not be able to participate in a 100mt sprint,” said Dr Sandeep Garg, co-founder of FAL.

Explaining how misleading claims affected treatment, doctors said when companies and sometimes surgeons too said they had separate (artificial) knee implants for females, the women patients thought they would be able to perform all household work such as squatting and cleaning the floor. However, this was not the case as squatting with artificial knees increased the wear and tear which shortened the life of the implant and made patient susceptible for unwarranted revision surgery.

“There is no difference between male and female bones, so there can be no structural difference in artificial limbs. The claim of a separate knee implant for women is fake,” said Dr Garg.

He added that since its inception, the technique of the surgery had remained the same, even as new methods of computer navigation, MRI and CT image guided operations and designer implants came in.

“It’s the experience of the surgeon that counts. The more the surgeries he has performed the better are the results,” said Dr Kapoor.