A boon for osteoarthritis patients
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis (inflammation of joints). It is also called a degenerative joint disease. It is characterised by the breakdown of cartilage in joints (i.e., intersections of two bones) and is often caused by wear and tear. Cartilage cushions the ends of the bones and allows for easier movement within the joints. As osteoarthritis progresses, bone spurs (osteophytes) develop within the affected joint and the joint space narrows, increasing pain and decreasing mobility. Now, it is the most common joint disease in Bangladesh. Symptoms of osteoarthritis (e.g., joint pain and stiffness, loss of joint function) usually develop between the ages of 40 and 60. The condition primarily affects the weight-bearing joints (e.g., knees, hips, feet, back). It also may affect the neck and the joints in the fingers and hands. The disease, which can cause significant pain and disability, is the reason for most total knee and hip replacement (TKR and THR). TKR and THR are the surgical procedures for relieving pain from most kinds of knee and hip arthritis, improving the quality of life for the large majority of patients who undergo the operations. Abdul Malek Mridha, 60, and Tareq Ibne Alam, 22, are two osteoarthritis patients. They became almost disable. But they underwent TKR and THR surgeries. Now, both of them lead a normal life. Malek had been experiencing chronic pain in his right knee for five years due to osteoarthrosis, which caused him to walk with a limp. "Since 2006, I battled knee problems," Malek says. "I would cry because the pain was so unbearable. I took 12 injections for three years but my knee pain did not lessen a bit. However, I came back to normal life after a total knee replacement (TKR) surgery in January, 2011." "Prof Dr M Amjad Hossain, a leading consultant arthroplasty and trauma surgeon at Labaid Hospital in Dhaka, successfully replaced my knee. Within three days of operation I could walk with the aid of a walking stick. After three weeks I walked unaided and within six weeks I felt completely healthy again," he shared. Knee replacement surgery removes the damaged joint lining and replaces the joint surfaces with a metal and plastic implant that functions similar to a normal knee. Tareq a diploma holder in graphics and web designer of Chandpur district got rid of a painful hip after a successful THR. He has always been very active. But his active lifestyle was endangered years ago. After a fall, he had non-union of fractured neck of femur and suffered for three years. He was also referred to consult the aforementioned orthopaedic surgeon who immediately decided to perform a THR. Accordingly, Tareq underwent a THR and had a remarkable recovery. His rehabilitation and walking began the day after the surgery and he stayed at hospital for several days. He says, "My quality of life is much better now and I feel that I will be active much longer in life."
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