PUNE: Arthritis in his big toe (hallux) kept a 52-year-old Jalgaon doctor away from playing badminton for about eight years. The doctor, however, now looks forward to resume the sport, courtesy an artificial (synthetic) cartilage implant surgery that he underwent at a Pune hospital on January 5.“The surgery has not just relieved me of the pain, but has also provided me with the near-normal movement of the toe,” the Jalgaon doctor said.Orthopaedic surgeon Sampat Dumbre Patil, who carried out the surgery with other doctors from the US and Pune at Sahyadri hospital, told TOI, “This is the first big toe implant surgery in India where a patient has been fitted with synthetic implant (hydrogel-based), which gives near normal outer look of a normal toe along with range of motion.The doctors said the revolutionary hydrogel-based toe implant provides a smooth, gliding surface for joint motion and acts as a cushion between bones. “When it comes to the traditional joint fusion surgery for the big toe, it causes the loss of motion. Besides, the previous traditional implants for big toe had high complication rates and they often didn’t last beyond seven years,” the doctors added.The new implant, made of the same substance used in contact lenses, was first used in Canada and has now become a worldwide practice.“The new implant gives a near normal full range of motion. It is better than the traditional big toe surgery which involves fusion of the joint that does not give range of motion and only helps in walking,” Dumbre said.The revolutionary implant, the doctors said, had more than 90% survival rate at seven years and its durability might go up to 10 years.“Currently, there is no artificial implant available for big toe and only option is the joint fusion surgery, which has various limitations,” Dumbre sais, adding that the patient can go for fusion surgery or revision implant surgery after 7-10 years.The Jalgaon doctor was discharged on January 7.“He will undergo post-operative physiotherapy for next three to four weeks after that he can resume his normal activity, along with sports,” Dumbre said.The implant surgery was carried out as a non-profit activity by the Parekh Family Foundation with the support from the Sahyadri Hospital and did not cost him a penny. “I look forward to resume my favourite sport now,” the Jalgaon doctor said. Other team of doctors included Selene Parekh, Rob Holloway, Bonnie Chen, Danny Scott and Malhar Dave.

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