NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The orthopaedic department of Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), under the leadership of Dr Shivanand Bandekar, has successfully conducted the first reverse total shoulder replacement in the state.
Informing about the surgery, Bandekar, who is the head of the orthopaedic department of GMC, said that earlier this week on December 6, a 42-year-old Goan, who is a teacher by profession, was operated upon for severe damage to the
shoulder.
He said “The operation lasted for one and half hour and was totally successful, relieving the patient from the pain in the post-operative period with good movement of shoulder.”
Stating that Goa has a high number of patients who suffer from high diabetes requiring such surgeries to lead a normal life, Bandekar said, “This is one of the most advanced and innovative surgeries performed on the shoulder of patients with advanced arthritis with loss of function of shoulder
muscles.”
He said that with the successful operation on the patient, GMC has enhanced its capacity to handle the most severe cases of shoulder damage which were earlier referred to hospitals outside the
state.
When asked about the cost involved in the operation, Bandekar informed that the cost of undergoing such an operation at the Lilavati Hospital or the Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai is around Rs 12 lakh. “However, the same operation in GMC will be done free of cost and the patients need not pay anything,” he
added.
He further informed that efforts will be made to include the procedure under the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY), the health insurance scheme recently launched by the Goa
government.
The operation was performed by a team of GMC staff led by Dr Shivanand Bandekar and included Dr Charan Fayde, Dr Nandini Padte, Dr Vineet Sansgiri, anaesthetist Dr Pabitra and attendants Damodar and
Francky.