Artificial joint replacement gains popularity
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By Song Sang-ho
Korea’s global status is ever rising, with an increasing number of people finding the country an attractive one.
First led by the K-pop and soap operas, “hallyu,” or Korean wave, is spreading to fashion, cosmetics and food industries. In sports, the international success of Korean athletes in recent years has added much to Korea’s reputation.
Among these, the medical industry is now at the forefront of such an elevation. Government officials are busy hosting fairs and seeking policies to promote the country’s advanced medical technologies and to draw more overseas patients.
The recent visit of Guus Hiddink, the former head coach of the Korean national team, for treatment of an injury to his right knee is one example showing Korea’s rise in the medical field.
Among surgical procedures, artificial joint replacement is gathering international praise. These days, orthopedic surgeons and patients suffering from joint problems seek to perform and undergo minimally invasive surgery (MIS), operations through small incisions — from 8 to 10 centimeters — instead of a large opening.
With a smaller incision, surgeons can minimize damage to muscles or tendons around the joint, thereby facilitating faster recovery and increasing patients’ satisfaction.
However, the surgery is universally accepted as a technique-demanding procedure, because of the difficulties in securing a clear surgical site.
According to many orthopedic specialists, it is vital to preserve patient’s muscles and tendons around the joints because this is closely related to a fast recovery. Preserving them will enable early rehabilitation after surgery and increases the patient’s mobility, by preventing muscular weakness around the joints. Also, it helps preventing soft tissue adhesion to the surgical area, and improves joint flexibility and flexion angles.
Early ambulation encourages patients as well as reducing significantly various postoperative complications resulting from a long bed rest, such as deep vein thrombosis or heart, lung and digestive problems.
Particularly in the case of hip arthroplasty, “1-4-5 Arthroplasty System,” using the MIS technique, has significantly improved the post-surgical recuperation. The system is one-hour operation time, early ambulation four hours after the surgery, and the patient walking independently five days after the surgery. Our Wellton Hospital also practices this system.
For the last few years, hospitals here have been actively engaging in various exchange programs with physicians and hospitals around the globe as well as signing a number of memorandums of understanding with them. Such programs are aimed at not only fostering knowledge-sharing in the medical field worldwide but also to export Korea’s advanced medical technology to foreign health workers.
This in turn brings patients to Korea for treatment and boosts the country’s medical tourism industry.
Working with fellow surgeons and treating foreign patients makes me feel proud as a Korean and a doctor. Despite all the challenges of my job, what keeps me going is the smile I see on patients’ faces when they leave hospital. I feel delighted in that I have contributed a small part in the country’s service to the world.
As part of the thriving “health hallyu,” the Korean healthcare industry, particularly in orthopedic surgery, has emerged as a new competitive edge for the country in its globalization efforts. The number of patients visiting Korea will likely increase this year, and the field of orthopedic surgery is expected to attract more of them. I am optimistic they will return home with both cured bodies and cheered minds after being treated here.
The writer is the president of Wellton Bone & Joint Hospital
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