Health …
H
HAVING HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY? YOU COULD TOUCH A LIFE
ip replacement surgery, while
in a Netcare hospital in KwaZulu-Natal
reminded me of him and I was determined
a major operation, has become
was made by Netcare St Augustine’s
to make a difference in someone’s life.
routine, with 200 to 300
Hospital’s very own human resources
This has been such a rewarding personal
procedures taking place monthly in South
manager, Uday Valjee, when he
experience for me, knowing that instead of
Africa. Yet hip replacement patients are
underwent hip replacement surgery.
wasting my bone tissue, I was giving back
often unaware of the opportunity for them
“I had been experiencing terrible pain
to those in need.”
to make a difference in the life of another
in December 2020 and was soon after
by donating their femoral head, at no risk
diagnosed with avascular necrosis in
after his first replacement, Valjee is
or cost to them.
both hips, a condition in which blood
progressing well and is soon to undergo
This is according to Reka Dulandas,
supply to the bone is temporarily or
his second procedure, where he will be
regional transplant manager for Netcare
permanently interrupted, eventually
donating his second femoral head. “Since
hospitals’ coastal region. Dulandas
causing it to collapse. This meant I
commencement of the femoral head
explains that the femoral head is the
needed to have bilateral hip replacement
recovery programme in KwaZulu-Natal,
uppermost part of the femur, or thigh
surgery,” says Valjee.
we have procured eight from Netcare
bone, which, if not donated, is discarded as
Valjee’s first hip replacement operation
Dulandas says that three months
Umhlanga Hospital and 10 from Netcare
medical waste. “More than 90% of femoral
took place at Netcare Umhlanga Hospital
Alberlito Hospital. We aim to collect many
heads in South Africa are unnecessarily
in April 2021, where his first femoral head
more in conjunction with Bone SA with the
discarded, which is most unfortunate. Like
was procured for donation.
help of patients like Uday, as the demand
organs and other types of human tissue,
“The process was simple. A facilitator
for bone product currently far outweighs
donated bone can help ease suffering and
from Bone SA met me at my place of work
significantly improve the quality of life for
to sign consent for the donation and for
someone in need.
bloods to be drawn for virology testing.
emergency, trauma, transplant and
As a donor, there were no risks to me as
corporate social investment, notes that
cancer treatment, corrective surgery,
my femoral head was being removed in
the Netcare transplant division supports
spinal fusions and tooth implants.
any case, nor did it cost me anything. In
tissue banks responsible for skin, bone
Usable donated bone is processed into
theatre, the femoral head was removed
and corneal harvests and is responsible
bone cement, chips and matchsticks,
and from there it was taken by Bone SA to
for the coordination of kidney, heart, liver
which are used as a framework for the
a laboratory, together with blood samples
and lung harvesting and transplants in
recipient’s bone to grow into, modify and
to ensure there were no infections.
Netcare hospitals nationally.
make its own,” she says. “The femoral
That was it from me, nothing more was
head donation programme is carried out
required,” says Valjee.
“Bone can be converted for use in bone
by Bone SA, a non-profit organisation,
“Making the decision to donate was an
the supply,” she says. Mande Toubkin, general manager:
“Our internationally recognised transplant programme aims to increase the lifespan of patients and improve their
under the auspices of Netcare’s transplant
easy one. I drew inspiration from my late
quality of life. We are thankful for every
division in the Group’s hospitals
father-in-law, who – before passing on –
person who assists us in making this
nationally. According to Bone SA, bone is
told me that he was an organ donor and
possible with their generous donations
the most frequently transplanted human
that we should ensure his organs would
and encourage others to do the same.
tissue after blood,” explains Dulandas.
be donated as per his wishes. The femoral
Their generosity may very well be saving a
head donation programme immediately
life,” she concludes.
The very first femoral head donation 18
SILVER DIGEST // SPRING 2021
