Jubilee Hills: Apollo Hospitals launches multidisciplinary centre for foot and ankle care

Hyderabad: Apollo Hospitals here announced the launch of a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary centre for Foot & Ankle Care at Jubilee Hills.

The hospital said the innovative centre provides world-class orthopaedic care, offering advanced treatments and specialised services for a variety of foot and ankle conditions. It includes the Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Foot Management, which focuses on addressing the complex challenges faced by diabetic patients prone to foot-related ailments.

From minor fractures to complex reconstructive surgeries

The Centre for Foot & Ankle brings together a team of highly skilled specialists, advanced technology, and a patient-centred approach to ensure exceptional care. From minor fractures to complex reconstructive surgeries, the centre is equipped to handle diverse needs using both traditional and minimally invasive techniques.

The centre’s multidisciplinary team includes experts in Orthopaedic Surgery, podiatric surgery, vascular surgery, orthotics and physiotherapy, offering a holistic approach to treatment. The facility is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including robotic surgery, advanced arthroscopy systems, and custom-made devices for diabetic foot reconstruction.

Services range from trauma care and sports injury management to specialised procedures such as Charcot foot reconstruction, total ankle replacement, and treatment for conditions like plantar fasciitis, bunions, and Achilles tendinopathy.

Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Foot Management

The Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Foot Management addresses a critical need in India, where diabetes prevalence is high. With advanced diagnostic tools and evidence-based treatment protocols, the centre offers services that span from primary prevention to tertiary care for severe cases.

“Patients often come to us as a last resort,” said Dr Srinivas Seshabhattaru, a podiatric surgeon at Apollo Hospitals: “What sets us apart is our ability to offer solutions that go beyond limb preservation to ensure functionality and mobility. This is life-changing for many patients. A large part of foot and ankle problems arise due to diabetes and I have been serving such patients for the last 13 years at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, with the objective of functional preservation of the foot. Diabetes leads to weakness of nerves called neuropathy, the other problem is reduced blood supply called Ischaemia. When nerves get debilitated it leads to foot deformation, injuries leading to infections, lack of sensation, and other problems.”

“We now with the help of Dr Venu provide special care for advanced neuropathy called acute charcot disease. Our team is now a comprehensive multi-disciplinary team, with a neurologist to handle nerve-related issues, a vascular specialist to improve blood supply, podiatry to preserve the limb, and orthopaedic surgeons to correct the shape and deformity, all these specialities are under one roof, offering care in an organised way, it is probably the only centre in India offering comprehensive care for diabetic patients at one place,” the doctor said.

The centre aims to restore mobility and enhance the quality of life for patients, particularly those at risk of amputation due to severe foot deformities or complications like diabetic neuropathy.

“For diabetic patients, maintaining mobility is crucial,” said Dr Venu Kavarthapu, renowned Foot & Ankle surgeon from King’s College Hospital, London, and president of the International Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons.

“When mobility is compromised, it can lead to cascading health issues, including heart problems, kidney failure, and stroke. This centre’s mission is not just to save limbs but to retain their functionality, enabling patients to lead fulfilling lives. The foot and ankle problem can be as simple as a flatfoot problem in a child to a limb and life-threatening problem. It’s an advanced and complex speciality in the US and Europe and is in its infancy in India. The hospital should have a full range of foot and ankle services, ranging from routine ankle injuries and ankle and foot fractures, deformities, arthritis, sports injuries, complex diabetic foot surgeries,” he said.

“There is no other centre in India other than Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, which offers such comprehensive foot and ankle services. A group of specialists here offer multi-disciplinary care supported by technology which is on par with the best available anywhere in the world, offering the highest standard care. We developed advanced surgical techniques and devices for diabetic foot reconstruction that provide reliable and predictable solutions for complex problems. Our partnership with Apollo Hospitals brings this expertise to India, ensuring access to global standards of care,” Dr Venu added.