Kolkata: In a remarkable feat of medical expertise, Manipal Hospital Mukundapur successfully performed a bilateral total knee replacement on a 66-year-old Bangladeshi woman, who had been wheelchair-bound for years due to severe knee pain. The patient, Sreema (name changed), had also developed chronic kidney failure from prolonged unsupervised use of over-the-counter painkillers.
The complex surgeries, conducted on 1st and 3rd July by Dr. Sutanu Hazra, Senior Consultant & HOD – Orthopaedics, involved careful coordination with Dr. Ritesh Kauntia, Consultant – Nephrology, Transplant Physician, due to the patient’s fragile kidney condition. Astonishingly, she began walking with support just a day after the procedure and is now preparing for a kidney transplant in the coming weeks.
Dr. Kauntia emphasized that over-the-counter painkillers are a major cause of kidney disease and stressed the importance of treating the root cause before kidney transplantation. Dr. Hazra highlighted the risks of long-term self-medication and underscored the importance of early orthopaedic intervention to avoid life-threatening complications.
This case is a testament to how timely, multidisciplinary care can restore mobility, improve quality of life, and prevent severe health consequences.
