Discord in BHU over hip surgery patent

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Express news service

Posted online: Thursday , May 01, 2008 at 10:55:01
Updated: Thursday , May 01, 2008 at 10:55:01

Varanasi, April 30 A month after Anil Kumar Rai, a senior orthopaedic surgeon at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was awarded a patent for his Bi-centric Hip Device — a cheap alternative to the Total Hip Replacement (THR) surgery — a fresh row has begun in the orthopaedics department.

Today, the head of the orthopaedics department, SC Goel, dismissed the new techniology as unviable.

“Bi-polar Hip Device cannot be a substitute to the Total Hip Replacement surgery. Both Unipolar and Bi-polar devices can only be effective for five years at the most. Besides, even with a Bi-polar prosthesis, the patient cannot sit or squat despite successful surgery,” Goel told mediapersons.

He, however, avoided directly criticising Rai. The THR surgery — where the damaged joint is replaced with an artificial one — is the only viable and long-term solution, he said. And unlike the bi-polar device, THR is functional for 20 to 30 years.

Rai, meanwhile, defended his work. “By questioning the usefulness of a device awarded a Central patent, we are only confusing the average patient,” he said. “I am not against THR, but have only developed a cheap alternative to the extremely expensive THR surgery.”

Rai refuted Goel’s contention that the device is not useful for patients (between 60 and 80 years) who have suffered total hip destruction.

“The BHU Hip Device offers most economical treatment of destruction of hip, which only costs between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 and can be implanted by any orthopaedic surgeon followed by minimum post operative complications. On the other hand, a Total Hip Replacement (THR) surgery can only be performed by specialised surgeons and its cost ranges between Rs 1.5 to Rs 1.8 lakh,” Rai said.

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