DTMT Network
Marking a significant advancement in treatment of knee ailments, Dr Chandrashekar P, Senior Consultant and HOD-Orthopaedics at Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, has devised the world’s first keyhole surgical technique to create an easy passage to the outside ligaments of the knee.

The new surgical method, which has been dubbed as Direct Lateral Portal and is also known as “Bengaluru Chandrashekar Portal”, is an extension of an arthroscopic surgery developed to address the health problems occurring in the Outside or Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) of the knee.

This technique was conceptualized to prevent tearing of the ligaments during open surgery and was conducted in a cadaver study on both the knees at a cadaver lab and further dissected to ascertain the safety of the portal.

The process under the new technique involves incision to reach the part in the outer ligaments of the knee without damaging the LCL fibres and peroneal nerve (a branch of sciatic nerve that originates from the lower spine required for movement) while making the portal. Cases of pathologies in the LCL are rare and occur in about 1 in 1,000 cases.  

LCL are the two surrounding connective tissues that connect the knee bones together, keeping them stable. This newly devised portal serves multiple purposes. The method can be used to address the pathologies of all types of injuries or broken LCL, Avulsion Fractures, Calcium Apatite Deposition Disease (CADD), Popliteus and Anterolateral Ligament (ALL) Reconstruction.

According to the press release of Sakra World Hospital, despite medical and surgical advances in the field of knee surgery, the normal practice has been through open surgery. No defined portal or entry technique was developed till date to reach the area in the LCL of the knee.

“There is a need to create a passage to address the different pathologies. But, narrow ligaments and multiple blood vessels in the knee pose a significant challenge for surgeons to operate,” says the press release.

Dr Chandrashekar said, “Almost 70% of the knee and joint surgeries are conducted through keyhole surgery since they are less painful, involve less incision and scar, ensure speedy recovery and reduced hospital stay. For the past three years, we have been constantly researching to find out a new portal to address the pathologies in the LCL.”

“Without the knowledge about the portals, it becomes difficult to reach this particular area of the knee and joint. With this new technique, the aim is to create an entry to the LCL region of the knee without any hassle,” explained Dr Chandrashekar.

The new technique has been accepted and published in the  Global Journal of Medical Research that serves as a knowledge-sharing purpose for the medical fraternities globally.