President dedicates low cost Indus knee implant to nation

New Delhi, Nov 19 (UNI) President Pratibha Patil today dedicated the 'Indus Knee,' a low cost knee implant, to the country which would bring knee replacement surgery within the reach of poor people suffering from arthritis.

Ms Patil said the Indus Knee would revolutionise the knee replacement surgery in the country as it not only meets the international standards in terms of quality but also provide features suited for Indian population.

On this occasion, renowned orthopaedic surgeon and Padma Bhushan awardee K H Sancheti, who has developed the Indus knee following a four-decade-long research, demonstrated the functional utility and cost effectiveness of the knee implant to the President.

Indigenously developed Indus Knee has brought down the cost of knee implant by nearly 70 per centto as low as Rs 25,000 from Rs 90,000. Moreover, the Indus knee enables patient to sit cross-legged for traditional functions like 'pooja' and sitting on floor for taking meals as was the practice in rural India. Manufactured at the Sanchi Institute of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation in Pune, the material used in the making of the Indus knee ensures its long life and minimum wear and tear.

Supported by the Department of Science and Industrial Research, the project also aimed to reach out to the rural poor by developing a Holistic Arthritis Model having preventive and curative measures for arthritis. The Institute and Dr Sancheti also conduct free camps for arthritis education, non-surgical treatment and affordable surgical treatment along with rehabilitation.

About 65,000 Indians need knee replacement every year but only 15,000 to 18,000 can afford and avail the surgery since the cost of imported implant is very high and it does not meet the needs of senior citizens in the country.

UNI