Thanks to the city’s hip and knee replacement programme, Lviv doctors are replacing damaged joints with expensive titanium prostheses free of charge.
This time, 57-year-old Oksana Bardash, whose both hip joints were almost completely worn out, got a chance for a new life.
The only way to restore her ability to walk was through endoprosthetics, i.e. replacing the damaged joints with artificial ones. This is an expensive procedure, but thanks to the city’s programme, the patient received help at St Panteleimon’s Hospital.
Two years ago, Oksana developed pain in her leg, which eventually spread to both legs. The pain was becoming so severe that she could no longer walk on her own and turned to doctors. Doctors diagnosed the fourth stage of coxarthrosis, a disease that destroys the cartilage of the hip joints.
“When a joint is deformed, it loses its ability to move, which causes pain. The only way out is endoprosthetics surgery,” explained Roman Zhovnar, an orthopaedic traumatologist.
An endoprosthesis is an artificial joint made of titanium that replaces the damaged one and takes over all the functions. In Lviv, such surgeries are carried out free of charge for certain categories of residents under a city programme.
Oksana took advantage of this programme: first, she had her left joint replaced, and then her right. The surgeries are performed in stages to ensure a proper recovery period. Now she can walk again without pain.
The city’s programme of free arthroplasty is intended for Lviv residents, including people of working age with disabilities, combatants and their families. The programme provides for the replacement of one joint per year. Seven people have already taken advantage of this opportunity, and another patient is waiting for surgery.