Chennai youth undergoes complex hip replacement surgery

Chennai: A 20-year-old youth, R. Gopi, was suffering from tissue distraction resulting in pus in left hip since the age of two. Gopi had been walking from infancy with a shortened left leg, after his treatment failed at many government and private institutions.

However, he underwent a complex hip replacement surgery through S-ROM hip at Chennai Meenakshi Multi-Speciality Hospital recently and can walk normally now.

Various treatments failed to restore normalcy and Gopi was always left with a limp in his left leg since infancy. The youth who is the youngest patient with the disorder in Chennai, was unable to diagnose the cause behind the disability since childhood due to lack of screening facilities such as MRI or CT scan back then.

“Joint infection caused tissue destruction and the patient had developed pain in the same hip due to development of pus over last few years. Usually, pus destruction of the hip joint in infancy occurs if hip joint fails to develop and the left leg becomes shorter as a result,” said Dr A.K. Venkatachalam, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Chennai Meenakshi Multi-Speciality Hospital.

 Medicos found out that as the socket of the hip joint was very shallow, the ball part of the thighbone was totally destroyed. The shaft of the thighbone was very thin compared to the other leg and the thigh is dislocated upwards on the pelvic bone,” said Dr Venkatachalam.

 A total hip replacement was to be performed but it is complicated as the muscles around the hip joint are all tight and shortened and the nerves and the blood supply are at risk during surgery. However, the team of doctors led by Dr Venkatachalam was performed with an advanced hip known as the S-ROM hip.
“S-ROM hi is a modular type of hip prosthesis. Metal on ceramic bearings were used considering the young age of the patient. This patient was followed up for eight months and he is recovering well,” added Dr Venkatachalam.