NEW DELHI: In a remarkable medical achievement, a 36-year-old Iraqi man, weighing 162 kg, has regained his ability to walk following a technically intricate total hip replacement at a private hospital. This surgery is recognized by doctors as one of the most challenging joint replacement procedures conducted on a morbidly obese patient at the facility.
Ahmed Abdulmueen Kadhim had been enduring severe pain and a steady decline in mobility due to secondary degenerative arthritis affecting his right hip. After several years of ineffective conservative treatments in Iraq, he decided to pursue medical help in India.
The patient’s significant body weight presented considerable surgical and anaesthetic difficulties. Excess weight complicates not only the exposure and positioning of surgical implants but also increases the mechanical stress on the artificial joint. This necessitated careful planning and the use of specialized implants.
The surgical operation took place at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Patparganj, under the leadership of Dr. (Prof.) Anil Arora, who is the Chairman and Head of Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement. The medical team meticulously strategized the selection and fixation of the implants to ensure long-term stability despite Kadhim’s high body mass.
“Performing a total hip replacement in a patient weighing 162 kg presents significant technical challenges. Careful pre-operative planning, precise implant positioning, and stable fixation were critical to achieving a successful outcome,” Dr. Arora stated.
For this procedure, doctors utilized a collared femoral stem implant toprovide added support to the replacement joint. The surgery proceeded without any complications, and postoperative X-rays confirmed that the implants were correctly positioned and stable.
After the operation, Kadhim engaged in supervised physiotherapy and rehabilitation aimed at fortifying the muscles surrounding the operated hip, while gradually restoring his mobility. The patient experienced early pain relief and showed improvement in his walking capabilities, which led to his discharge just seven days post-surgery before he returned to Iraq.
