What an iro-knee !

One of the major advances in the medical science over last 50 years has been the evolution of the artificial knee and hip joint replacement surgery. Extensive past and ongoing research has led to a tremendous improvement in the long term results of the joint replacement procedures benefiting millions of patients over the years, especially in western countries. The knee and hip replacement surgery is now well accepted as the standard treatment for arthritis of these joints by the general population in these countries. The procedure allows increased mobility and functional activity, relieves pain and improves quality of life tremendously. The procedure is so sought after that in certain countries like UK, there is a waiting period for 1-2 years before surgery is performed. This is one of the reasons why medical tourism has grown in leaps and bounds in last few years in India. 

 Patients from Europe, the US and other affluent nations visit for routine procedures like knee replacement surgery either due to high cost of the procedure in their own countries, lack of complete insurance cover or long waiting times for surgical procedures.  Patients from countries with poor health infrastructure like Afganistan, Iraq, Nigeria and other African nations visit India for better healthcare facilities.  Advantages for medical tourists include reduced costs, availability of latest medical technologies and a growing compliance on international quality standards. Total knee replacement surgery in USA will cost in excess of 20,000 USD on an average, however majority of healthcare providers in India are charging 6000-8000 USD. India’s medical tourism sector is expected to experience an annual growth rate of 30%, making it a Rs. 9,500-crore industry by 2015. Estimates of the value of medical tourism to India go as high as $2 billion a year by 2012. The major healthcare providers in the India are doing all they can to get a share of the pie and they are focusing extensively on the international patients.

Number of knee replacement surgery in India has also grown up in leaps and bounds due to medical tourism. The acceptance of joint replacement surgery as a standard treatment of severe arthritis has increased amongst the general population, especially in the metropolitan cities. Indian patients with medical insurance cover and health cover from employers are increasingly opting to undergo the surgery improving their quality of life significantly.  However, irony remains that while our healthcare providers are increasingly treating international patients with joint problems, majority of the elderly population of our country who do not have an insurance cover cannot benefit from advances in the medical science and improved health care infrastructure in India as they cannot afford the joint replacement surgery.

 On an average the cost of a knee replacement surgery in Delhi NCR area is anywhere between 2 lacs to 3 lacs rupees. Cost of the implants is a major contributor and usually accounts for approximately 30 % of the total expenditure. Almost all artificial implants, that have a proven track record, are manufactured in Europe/USA and are imported. At present, there is not even a single Indian manufacturer that is producing artificial joint implants of the desired quality and standards. There is an immense opportunity waiting for the health care providers as well for the implant manufacturers if they could reduce the cost of these procedures and implants while maintaining the quality standards. It is likely that in near future the cost of joint replacement surgery will come down substantially as Indian manufacturers will acquire the technical knowhow to produce good quality implants locally or international implant manufacturers will reduce their implant costs. If and when it happens, a large proportion of local population as well as people from other developing countries will benefit and joint replacement surgery in India will become as common as in western countries.