Live Discussion with Dr. Subhash Jangid

Questions doctors asked during the Jivo Masterclass on Recent Advances in Joint Replacement, taught by Dr. Subhash Jangid, Senior Director, Orthopaedics & Joint Reconstruction, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, India, on . Written by Jivo Healthcare from the transcript of the session, drafted with AI assistance and edited by the Jivo team.

Is there an age limit for hip or knee replacement surgery?

Asked by Moderator

Hip replacement is usually done any time after skeletal maturity if the joint is badly damaged. Partial knee replacement can be done after the age of 40, occasionally in patients as young as 30, but most patients present after 45 or 50, and the decision between partial and total replacement is then based on the damage in the joint. There is no age limit for joint replacement, because modern implants can last more than 30 years.

Answered by Dr. Subhash Jangid

Could an 80-year-old patient with a knee fracture still be considered a candidate for joint replacement surgery?

Asked by Moderator

Yes. Age is just a number. What matters is whether the patient is physiologically active enough and medically fit to undergo surgery; if so, surgery should be considered. No one should be denied treatment on age alone, because it is ultimately the patient's life, which he has to lead properly, fracture or not.

Answered by Dr. Subhash Jangid

Most post-operative painkillers are known to affect the liver. What pain medication is recommended after joint replacement that avoids this?

Asked by Moderator

Opioids are used at a very low dose, not intravenously but through a transdermal skin patch suited to post-operative use, such as buprenorphine, which releases the drug slowly, or a nasal puff. This gives very good pain control without sedation, headache or nausea. On top of that, the main tablet given is paracetamol, which at the standard dose, no more than 4 g a day, does not harm the liver and does not affect the stomach or the kidneys.

Answered by Dr. Subhash Jangid

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In This Series: Recent Advances in Joint Replacement

  1. 1.Recent Advances in Joint Replacement
  2. 2.Is There an Age Limit for Joint Replacement? Who Qualifies
  3. 3.Severe Knee Deformity: Correction, Robotics and Recovery
  4. 4.Live Discussion with Dr. Subhash Jangid