10 surgeries, 7 hours and one anaesthesia

Imagine 10 surgeries at one sitting with a single anaesthesia within seven hours. This is precisely what doctors at Manipal Hospital did. The result: Fifty-nine-year-old Nagamma, who suffered from 15 years of chronic crippling disabilities, is now able to walk without pain. The surgery is believed to be the first of its kind in India, if not globally.

A team of three doctors conducted the surgeries. “The amount of blood loss expected in this kind of a surgery is two to three litres. This was a surgery with minimal blood loss of 800 ml. She was shifted to the ward directly without any ICU care,” said Dr RD Chakravarthy, HoD, orthopaedic department, Manipal Hospital.
Bharat Electronics Limited, where Nagamma’s son is an employee, sponsored the surgeries which came for a cost of Rs6 lakh.

Nagamma’s first check-up was done in June. “It was found that Nagamma’s both hip joints were directed differently. Her knee joints were also bent. A surgery was planned on August 11,” said Dr Chakravarthy.

“I was having pain and swelling on my right knee for the last eight years. It became unbearable and two years ago I started developing similar symptoms on my left knee as well. I was totally bed-ridden for the last six months,” said Nagamma, a native of Tumkur.

Doctors decided to go for 10 different surgeries on Nagamma due to certain advantages.

“Multiple surgeries at one sitting reduces the cost of the surgery and the duration of hospital stay. Besides, this entire process has quickened the rehabilitation for Nagamma, since all her defects were corrected at once,” said Dr Chakravarthy.

“These kinds of cases are rare in the West. Patients in India tend to get neglected due to financial and social constraints. Correcting such deformed joints involves great technical skill and straightening a deformed joint can result in neuro-vascular damage if done without proper expertise and equipment,” said Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, medical director, Manipal Hospital.

Nagamma was happy as she took her first step two days after the surgery.