Indians have poor bone quality, claims U.S surgeon

KOCHI: Dr. Adam Z. Cote, renowned orthopaedic surgeon from Carson City, Michigan, US, has warned the people  here against seeking delayed medical assistance for  their knee problems.

“There are more cases of deformity in India than in the United States where people consult doctors early on and seek treatment, including knee and hip replacement. Our challenge is obesity and a number of people face knee problems due to weight gain,” said Dr Adam at an interaction with the media after signing an MoU with orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Vinod Padmanabhan of the Sudheendra Medical Mission  on exchanging know-how in the orthopaedic sector here on Tuesday.

“It is important to note that Indian patients’ knee size and shape are  different from that of the Western population. In addition, Indians have less bone and poor quality of bone. In view of the fact that Indian lifestyle demands significant bending (high flexion) of knee joint many times beyond 150 degrees, it has  been the Indian doctors’ challenge to provide the joint that is   fit for the patient's anatomy,” Dr. Adam Cote said.

“I am glad to learn that the latest development in knee joint implant called ‘Freedom Knee’ is available in  Kerala, which is designed specifically for the Indian population's size and shape,”  he said.