First Twitter Cast of Live Knee Replacement from India
Submitted by: KNEE, HIP, SHOULDER SRUGERY CENTRE, CHENNAI
2009-06-22 00:02:15
(OPENPRESS) June 22, 2009 -- In what is seen as a marriage of Information technology and orthopedic surgery, India's first live Twitter cast of a live knee replacement was successfully performed on June 18, 2009. This was also the second time in the world that an orthopedic operation was Twitter cast, the first one also being a live replacement from the US.
An state of the art Oxinium knee replacement was performed by Orthopaedic surgeon Dr.A.K.Venkatachalam from Chennai at the Chettinad health city hospital.
Twitter is a free service that allows individuals to keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?
One can post latest updates on Twitter through short passages of 140 characters and photos.
These updates are followed by Followers. Twitpic is another sister platform that allows uploading of photos. Single user uploaded photos also appear in the Twitter account.
The Oxinium knee implant is unique as it is made of Oxidised Zirconium. The advantages of implants made of Oxinium are longevity and tolerance. These implants permit joint Replacements as an option in young patients needing one thus improving their quality of life.
Dr.Venkatachalam is an orthopedic surgeon at the MJRC (http://www.kneeindia.com)
His interests are Joint Replacements of hip, knee & shoulder.
When asked why he chose to Tweet his surgery, Dr.Venkatachalam who is an Assistant professor at the Chettinad medical college, said that it gave medical students and prospective patients an opportunity to witness a live surgery. It could facilitate medical students to make a career choice for post graduation.
Patients planning for a knee replacement also had the chance to get a peek at a live operation and understand what went on. It would thus alleviate their fears about a joint replacement.
Patients can chat with their surgeon during the course of an operation and ask questions about the implant, technique, pain relief protocols, any thing that would remove their anxiety.
