After a little over two hours of surgery and three days of recovery at FV Hospital, 66-year-old Cambodian patient Mrs But Vorn can walk again with no pain.

Mrs But Vorn had suffered from persistent pain for more than ten years due to knee osteoarthritis and complications of paralysis in her right knee.

Mrs But Vorn recovered well after being treated at FV Hospital

“It is amazing that I can walk again,” she shared. “Thanks to the dedicated team of doctors and nurses at FV Hospital, I’m no longer a burden to my children and grandchildren”.

More than 10 years of pain

Mrs But Vorn endured knee osteoarthritis for more than a decade. In 2021, she decided to have surgery to replace her right knee joint, hoping she would no longer suffer from persistent pain.

But the procedure resulted in complications which required two more surgeries to resolve. After three surgeries, Mrs But Vorn was no longer able to move her knee joint and could only sit, dependent on a wheelchair for mobility and requiring assistance in her daily activities, including basic tasks such as washing.

Despairing, Mrs But Vorn thought that she would be disabled for the rest of her life, until she was introduced by an acquaintance to FV Hospital, where many Cambodian patients seek treatment. In August 2022, she and her husband travelled to FV Hospital, thinking she would have another knee replacement.

Dr Truong Hoang Vinh Khiem examines Mrs But Vorn’s knee

Dr Truong Hoang Vinh Khiem, Orthopaedics and Hand Surgery Department, FV Hospital, says that when he saw Mrs But Vorn her knee was stiff, bent at an angle of around 70 degrees so she could not walk. Mrs But Vorn was in a wheelchair in an uncomfortable position and had pain.

Dr Khiem requested an X-ray to review the condition of her knee and took samples of tissue culture to test for bacteria. Test results showed that the joint was not infected, but multiple surgeries had resulted in the formation of fibrous tissue and scarring. Mrs But Vorn had not been instructed to practice physical therapy and had no rehabilitative support after surgery. As a result, the muscles surrounding her knee joint had stiffened, making it impossible for her to use her leg.

No more pain after a short surgery

In Mrs But Vorn’s case, Dr Khiem determined that there was no need to replace the joint, but a surgery was required to remove the fibrous and scar tissue around the knee joint, and loosen the contracted tendon. The surgery was more challenging than a knee replacement surgery, which usually takes just over an hour. This case required many precise, intricate incisions, millimetre by millimetre.

After the 2.5 hour surgery, Mrs But Vorn said that she did not feel any pain. She received physical therapy the same day and was discharged from the hospital three days later with instructions on how to exercise from her doctors.

Recently, when Mrs But Vorn returned to Vietnam after three months for a follow-up, she was very happy because she is able to stand and walk with the support of a cane. Doctors report that her recovery has been very good, and Mrs Vorn will be able to return to her daily activities in a short time.

Cambodian patient Mrs But Vorn is grateful to FV Hospital doctors for helping her to walk again 

Artificial joint replacement: a solution for knee osteoarthritis

Artificial joint replacement surgery is a highly technical surgery, indicated for patients with severe knee damage and end-stage knee osteoarthritis when the cartilage destruction cannot be reversed, and when other treatments such as medication, physical therapy, pain relief no longer work. In addition to the skill of the surgeon, one of the factors that determine the success of a joint replacement surgery is a sterile environment.

An operating room that meets JCI international standards contributes to the success of joint replacement surgeries at FV hospital.

At FV Hospital, artificial joint replacement surgeries are performed regularly, with 70 to 100 cases treated per year. Many patients are able to cycle, swim, and run normally after receiving a joint replacement.

To make an appointment to visit the Orthopaedics & Hand Surgery Department of FV Hospital, please call (028) 54 11 33 33.