JNIMS scores a first in NE with knee replacement of cancer patient
Fresh lease of walk for 64 year old man
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 29 2023: For the first time in North East India, the doctors at State run Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) performed a joint replacement surgery using knee megaprosthesis for a bone tumour on December 23 with the expenditure covered by Chief Ministergee Hakshel-gee Tengbang (CMHT) .

The surgery was conducted by a team of surgeons led by Orthopaedic and Joint Replacement Surgeon Dr Angamba Heisnam.

The person who went through the surgery is one Waikhom Ningthemjao (64), a resident of Kodompokpi, Imphal East.

He is a patient of osteosarcoma (proximal tibia bone cancer) .

JNIMS scores a first in NE with knee replacement of cancer patient

Reportedly, a custom made stainless steel was implanted on Ningthemjao's knee at Tata Cancer Hospital, Mumbai in 2009 and he stayed in touch with the doctors there for several years.

He stopped getting treatment in 2017 due to financial constraints.

The patient got admitted at JNIMS in November and resumed his treatment under Dr Angamba and Head of Orthopaedic Department Dr Ch Banikanta.

During the surgery on December 23, the stainless steel implant of the patient's knee was replaced by a titanium megaprosthesis implant.

Ningthemjao can now walk.

Speaking to the media at JNIMS today, Dr Angamba said that amputation was the only option to treat bone cancer back in the days but not necessary today, thanks to the advancement of medical sciences.

Saying that knee implant can only be done at only some hospitals with specialised doctors such as Tata Cancer Hospital, he added that the first implant of Ningthemjao was also done at Tata Cancer Hospital in 2009 .

Dr Angamba continued that Ningthemjao started having difficulties while walking from 2017 onwards and after some time he couldn't walk without assistance as the stainless steel implant was nearing its expiry date.

The market price of the titanium implant is about Rs 2.50 lakh, he said and added that the majority of the expenditure of Ningthemjao treatment has been covered by the State under CMHT scheme.

JNIMS Director Dr Deben, on the other hand, said that the Government has lifted a big burden from the patient's family through the CMHT scheme.

Saying that JNIMS provides different kinds of health facilities under CMHT and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), Dr Deben appealed to the people to take the benefit of the Government schemes.

He continued that JNIMS has done more than 200 knee replacement surgeries.

Dr Deben also said that Dr Angamba and his surgeon team will carry out another knee replacement surgery of a 40 year old woman from Singjamei who has been advised to consult doctors outside by a particular hospital in Manipur very soon under CMHT.

Ningthemjao who underwent the knee replacement surgery thanked the doctors at JNIMS for taking care of him.

"I thought I would lose my limb due to the ailment," he said and added that he went after Dr Angamba after he heard news of the latter successfully performing knee replacement surgery at JNIMS.