Orthopaedic patients praise post-surgery care

Jan 20, 2019 News

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Several persons receiving post-operative care after undergoing orthopaedic surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital are very pleased with the services. On a visit to the hospital yesterday, Kaieteur News observed several persons attending clinic. One patient, Pulmattie Persaud, 66, underwent hip replacement surgery.
According to Persaud, she underwent a successful procedure in October of last year. She said, “I am able to walk more. Before surgery, I used to use a wheelchair, a walker and a cane. Now that I have completed surgery I am only using the cane.” Persaud said that she is due for another hip replacement surgery.
Lorraine, 61, who was diagnosed with arthritis in her right knee, also underwent surgery. Detailing her experience, she said, “I couldn’t even wear pants and do chores around the home.” She said that before surgery she had to use a cane to aid her with walking. As for Neil Lewis, 56, of Berbice, the hip replacement surgery has improved his life.
Lewis explained that at age 30, he fell from a truck and trailer while working and later developed a problem with his hip. He recalled that he used to feel a pain in one of his hips but never took the situation seriously. It was until he visited the New Amsterdam Hospital to do an x-ray that doctors there, referred him to Georgetown Public Hospital.
“When I came here, doctors asked me if I wanted to do a hip replacement surgery. I did the surgery last year October. That surgery was successful, but I find that the other hip is starting to pain. So I am coming to clinic for observation.”
Another patient, a woman, who declined to give her name said, “Since I got the knee replacement there is no more pain. I am walking fine. Before surgery I was unable to sit and even bend my knees. But since I got the surgery I am able to do everything. When asked to comment on the quality of service offered by the hospital, the patients stated that it is very good.
According to them, the doctors, nurses and other staff are very friendly. They disclosed that the staff is very organized and would even call patients to remind them of their clinic dates and so on. As for now, all of them are undergoing physiotherapy.
Also yesterday, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence was in high spirits as she visited the patients. The aim of her visit was to have one-on-one interaction with persons who were beneficiaries of the various surgeries, compliments of Operation Walk Maryland (OWM).
OWM is a private, not-for-profit, volunteer medical service organization that provides free surgical treatment for patients in developing countries and in the United States.
Last year, an OWM team visited Guyana for the first time and conducted knee joint replacement and hip replacement on over forty persons. During an interview, Minister Lawrence said that she was there to see how the patients have progressed since their respective operations.
She said that the problems plaguing the patients were associated with middle-age, and those who were involved in accidents. The Minister added that the comments from the patients were overwhelmingly positive and she now has the zest to further collaborate with the OWM.
According to the Minister, it brings her joy to see that these persons are now able to live a normal life, adding that, one man told her he is now able to walk his cows. Moreover, Minister Lawrence added, “Whenever they (OWM) come here there is an exchange of knowledge.”

Meanwhile, Medical Director of OWM, Paul Khanuja, who is the Chief of Adult Reconstruction of Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery at the department of Orthopedic Surgery for Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, said he has received positive post-surgery comments from the patients.
He said, “They are walking much better and feeling less pain.” After interacting with the patients, Minister Lawrence met with officials from OWM and Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Brigadier George Lewis.
Khanuja disclosed that his team is currently in talks with officials at the hospital about visiting Guyana later this year to lend more assistance.
Officials from OWM conducted the surgeries last year and had promised to return this month to conduct follow-up examinations. Last year, Senior Registrar of Medical and Professional Services, GPHC, Dr. Kaaleshwar Ramcharran had said that for the project they began screening 170 patients who required joint replacement surgery.He had said then that, “We didn’t have any significant complications after surgery and I know the patients are very grateful and they are very happy, especially when we went into the wards, the patients’ joy on their faces, we see them walking around the wards with the physiotherapists, it was really good to see.”
Further he had said that these types of surgeries are expensive and would cost $2M, inclusive of attached fees, to conduct a joint replacement surgery at a private hospital. At the Georgetown Public Hospital, patients are asked to contribute $200,000 to help offset the costs of implants, but with OWM, the surgeries are free.

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