Doctors at a hospital in Kolkata have successfully treated a 66-year-old female patient from Bangladesh to give her a new lease of life in a complex case.
The doctors at Manipal Hospital in Mukundapur performed a bilateral total knee replacement surgery under the supervision of Dr Sutanu Hazra, senior consultant & HOD – Orthopaedics, at the hospital.
The patient had been wheelchair-bound for years due to crippling knee pain, and she has developed chronic kidney failure caused by prolonged and unsupervised use of over-the-counter painkillers to manage her knee discomfort.
The knee replacement surgeries were conducted by Dr Hazra on July 1 and 3, and necessitated careful cross-specialty planning because the patient had compromised kidney function. She was monitored closely by Dr Ritesh Kauntia, consultant – Nephrology, transplant physician, during the procedure to maintain renal stability, along with experienced anaesthesia and post-operative management.
Despite the complexity of the case, the procedure was a huge success. To everyone`s surprise, the patient started walking with support just one day after her surgery, something she had not done in years. She is now under observation and is ready for a kidney transplant in the next few weeks.
Talking about the case, Dr Kauntia shared, “Over the counter pain killers and alternative medicines are one of the major reasons for kidney disease. When this patient came to me for kidney transplantation in a wheelchair-bound state, we decided to treat the root cause first i.e. get her knee surgery done so that she is pain free and mobile before we plan for kidney transplantation. This was important to avoid future use of painkillers and safeguard the new graft kidney.”
Dr Hazra added, “This patient’s journey is a critical reminder that while knee or joint pain significantly hampers daily life, long-term self-medication with over-the-counter painkillers can lead to irreversible damage, not just to the kidneys, but also to the heart and gastrointestinal system. In her case, the unchecked use of analgesics resulted in kidney failure. Early consultation with an orthopaedic specialist could have prevented this progression. People shouldn’t ignore persistent joint pain or rely solely on pharmacy-based remedies. Timely orthopaedic care can address the root cause, prevent severe complications, and help preserve mobility and quality of life. It is deeply rewarding to see her walking again after years, thanks to a coordinated, multidisciplinary effort.”