The Vice President of Al-Nasr praises a “doctor” who performed a joint replacement operation for his father

Prepared by Dr. Kholoud Baron |

Dr.. Muthanna Al-Sartawi.. a Kuwaiti orthopedic surgeon, holds the Canadian and American boards in orthopedic surgery and fellowship in joint replacement surgery from Rush International Hospital, which is attended by senior officials such as former President George Bush. He currently occupies the position of head of department at Christie Clinic Hospital, and he recently took over the management of the Center Parsons Covent Hospital, which specializes in one-day knee replacement surgeries. After specializing in Dr. Sartawi is a specialist in joint surgeries, especially the knee joint. Two years ago, he began working in the American Hospital. During his work, he demonstrated distinction, diligence, and organization that contributed to his acquisition of great positions and responsibilities within a short period of time, and he became a surgeon. During his visit to Al-Qabas a few days ago, we had this meeting with him.

Osteoarthritis, especially the knee joint, has become one of the most common conditions or diseases worldwide. Dr. explained. Muthana Al-Sartawi, orthopedic surgeon and head of department at Christie Clinic and director of the Presons Covent Hospital Center in America, said, “Roughness, by definition, is the erosion of the soft cartilage covering the surface of the joint bones, which leads to difficulty in movement of the knee joint. One of the most important causes of aging. Where studies have shown that 40% of those over the age of sixty years have a degree of roughness. Obesity is another reason for the spread of knee roughness among young people, because it places a great burden on the knee joint, causing it to wear and tear. There are other causes such as accidents and fractures, infection with certain types of germs, rheumatic disease and the presence of genetic predisposition.

 ◗ Available treatments
First, conservative (non-surgical) treatments:
– Pain relieving drugs
– Excess weight loss.
Changing the quality of movement and avoiding any wrong movements that may harm a healthy body. Such as stopping the repetition of activities that increase the burden on the knee (such as jumping and running).
Using tools that contribute to reducing the burden on the knee, such as crutches and walkers.
Knee injection. It is divided into three types: cortisone, oil, or stem cells.
– natural therapy.

◗ Who needs surgery?
between dr. It is a mistake to believe that every person with roughness must undergo the process of installing or implanting artificial joints. Where these surgeries are suggested specifically to those who fail previous treatments to improve their condition and continue to suffer from pain and difficulty in movement, which prevents them from practicing their daily activities. As for patients who do not complain of pain or if conservative treatments succeed in relieving their pain and who can cope with the difficulty of movement and continue practicing their routine, surgical intervention is not recommended.

◗ Complications of the operation  
The joint implantation process is one of the excellent operations that provides a radical solution for those who suffer from severe erosion in the knee joint and suffer from pain and difficulty in movement, but it remains a surgery associated with the possibility of several risks and complications. Although the probability of its occurrence does not exceed 10%, it is important for the surgeon to explain to the patient the risks of the operation and the possible complications. These include: complications of anesthesia, swelling, blood clot, wound contamination and infection, joint relaxation, abnormal joint installation, and others.

◗ Types of operations
There are two main types of knee joints, the partial (or half) joint and the full joint. It is also made of two materials; Either titanium or cobalt chrome. Partial joint implants are suitable for those who have roughness in one part of the knee components only. This is confirmed by accurate clinical diagnosis. The cause is usually the injury of young people and children with accidents or fractures previously. These cases occupy a small space that does not exceed 10% of cases, while the remaining 90% of them require full joint implants.

◗ A new, longer-lasting
joint. Most of the joints in the market today are between 10 and 20 years old. As for the modern joints used five years ago in the center where I work in America, they contain a plastic material that was developed by adding vitamin E, which contributed to the longevity. She is 30 years old. In addition to its flexibility, it allows the patient to perform all the physical and sports activities he desires without fear of erosion of the artificial joint.

A wish to transfer the experience to Kuwait

Dr. wished He praised the transfer of the American experience to Kuwait, and explained, “When officials in America noticed that the number of people with osteoarthritis was increasing among adults and children, and after they noticed that I was performing surgical work that led to distinguished results from other hospitals in the region, they invested in building a specialized center for joint surgery. They appointed me as the director of the center.
This center includes an integrated medical team that treats joint patients in all aspects, in addition to providing equipment, medicines and medical technology, including education, obesity treatment and post-operative care. I hope that the same experience will be applied in Kuwait, given the prevalence of roughness as well.”

Distinguished one-day operations program
Dr. Muthanna was distinguished and creative by developing an integrated program that organizes one-day knee replacement surgeries. He explained, “Every patient fears the consequences of a knee joint transplant, such as severe pain, inability to move, and the need for help to stand up, go to the bathroom, or go about his daily life. Many are also forced to stay in the hospital for a period ranging from one to two weeks, and to continue physical therapy and rehabilitation for a long time so that he can regain his natural ability to move. He says, “The thing that is unique and distinguished in the area in which I work is the development of the daily surgery protocol in a way that guarantees minimizing pain and the recovery period as much as possible.
For example, after the patient undergoes a joint transplant operation, which usually takes between an hour and a half to two hours (according to the complexity of the case), he is taken to the recovery room to start pain control treatment with him, and then to his room until the physiotherapist directly trains him to bend the knee. and stand up. Then comes the nurse’s role in following up the health of the wounds and assessing the patient’s health in general. Therefore, the patient can regain his independence as quickly as possible.

 Cortisone phobia.. Wrong!

Dr. Muthanna pointed out to the locally spread fear of knee injections containing cortisone compounds. He said, “The research of the American Society of Surgeons, which compared injections of oil, cortisone, and stem cells in terms of outcome and cost, concluded that cortisone injections were preferred and recommended as an initial and basic treatment. And I found that injections of other compounds are less useful due to their high cost. Cortisone is very useful as a treatment, not just for pain relief. In addition to relieving the severe pain felt by the injured person, it reduces inflammation and nerve irritation resulting from the friction of the joint bones against each other. As for the oil injection, it is a synthetic substance that mimics the natural fluid present in the knee. It is used to replace lost fluid and to increase the flexibility and smooth movement of the joint. However, its price is exorbitant and its benefit is not comparable to that of cortisone.
Therefore, fear of cortisone locally is a result of misunderstanding and likening it to cortisone pills that cause many side effects such as decreased immunity, weight gain, blood sugar disorder, and osteoporosis. But cortisone injections in the knee have a local effect that does not cause these symptoms, except for its mild effect on the rate of sugar. Therefore, the diabetic patient is advised to measure the blood sugar level beforehand, because it will cause it to rise slightly after the injection.

 For the prevention of roughness
, knee joint roughness can be avoided by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, movement and exercise. While those who have a degree of roughness in the knee are advised to maintain their health by avoiding practicing sports that increase the load and pressure on the joint, such as running or skipping, and it is advised to practice anaerobic sports (aerobic), swimming, and cycling on a chair.