Questions Families Ask

With cashless approval, the hospital sends your planned treatment to your insurer or its third-party administrator before admission, and the approved amount is settled directly with the hospital. You pay only what the policy does not cover.

Yes. Once Dr. Gadkari has confirmed the operation you need, the hospital can give you a written estimate. Ask what it includes, such as the implant, room category, medicines and physiotherapy, and what it does not.

Most health insurance policies in India cover joint replacement when it is medically needed. Check your policy for waiting periods, room-rent limits and any co-payment. The hospital's insurance desk can usually arrange cashless approval before you are admitted.

A cemented implant is fixed with a special bone cement that sets in minutes. An uncemented implant has a rough surface that the bone grows into over a few weeks. The choice depends on the joint, your bone quality and your age.

Robotic-assisted systems help the surgeon plan and place the implant precisely. Studies so far show similar long-term results to conventional surgery done well by an experienced surgeon. What matters most is accurate alignment, good soft tissue balance and committed rehab.

Dr. Gadkari operates at several hospitals in Thane. The right one for you depends on your insurance network, how far your family has to travel, and any other medical needs you have. The clinic will help you decide at your consultation.

Most people never need a revision. A small number of replacements wear, loosen or become infected over the years, which is why regular check-ups and X-rays are useful. See a doctor if a replaced joint becomes painful, unstable or swollen after a long period of comfort.

When a joint replacement is infected, it is often treated in two operations. In the first, the infected implant is removed and a temporary spacer loaded with antibiotics is put in. After a course of antibiotics, a new joint replacement is fitted in a second operation.

Modern knee and hip replacements last many years. Most are still working well 15 to 20 years after surgery, and many last longer. Keeping a healthy weight and staying active with low-impact exercise such as walking, cycling and swimming helps them last.

Usually between 9 and 12 months after surgery, once strength, balance and hopping tests show the knee is ready. Returning earlier raises the risk of tearing the new ligament.

Many people can, especially if they do not play twisting or jumping sports. With good physiotherapy, the muscles around the knee can make up for the torn ligament. Reconstruction is usually advised for active people whose knee keeps giving way.

A steroid injection can calm a painful flare for some weeks or months. It is not a cure, and injections are usually limited to a few a year. Dr. Gadkari will tell you whether an injection is likely to help your knee.

Not always. Many knee problems can be diagnosed with an examination and an X-ray. An MRI is useful when a ligament or meniscus tear is suspected, or when the cause is still unclear.

Removing a large part of the meniscus can increase the load on the knee cartilage over time. That is why surgeons try to repair the meniscus where possible, and remove only the damaged part when it cannot be saved.

Some can. Tears near the outer edge of the meniscus have a good blood supply and can heal, sometimes after being stitched. Many wear-related tears in older knees settle with physiotherapy and never need surgery.

Yes. If arthritis later develops in another part of the knee, a partial replacement can be converted to a total knee replacement. This is a planned operation and usually goes well.

It depends on where the damage is. If X-rays and examination show that arthritis is limited to one part of the knee and your ligaments are healthy, a partial replacement may be possible. If the wear is spread across the knee, a total replacement gives a more reliable result.

There is no fixed age. The decision depends on how much the arthritis limits your life and on your general health, not on age alone. Most people who have a knee replacement are over 60, but younger people with severe arthritis can also benefit.

Yes, for some patients. Replacing both knees in one operation means one hospital stay and one recovery, but it is a bigger operation. Dr. Gadkari decides this with you and your physician based on your heart, lungs and general health.

Many people can kneel once they have recovered, although it may feel unusual or uncomfortable at first, even when the knee is healing well. Your ability to kneel depends on healing, strength and comfort. Start on a soft surface once your surgeon says it is safe.

Age alone is not a reason to avoid surgery. Most older people with a hip fracture recover better with an operation than without one. The anaesthetist and physician check the heart, lungs and other conditions first, and the team plans the safest anaesthetic.

Older people who lie in bed with a broken hip are at risk of chest infections, bed sores, blood clots and confusion. Operating once the patient is medically fit, usually within a day or two, lets them sit up and walk sooner, which lowers these risks.

Yes. Pain in the buttock or down the back of the thigh often starts in the lower back rather than the hip joint. True hip joint pain is usually felt in the groin. An examination helps tell them apart.

Avascular necrosis (AVN) means that part of the ball of the hip loses its blood supply and slowly collapses. It is linked to long-term steroid use, heavy alcohol use and some injuries, and it often affects younger adults. Early AVN can sometimes be treated without replacement; advanced AVN usually needs a total hip replacement.

For the first few weeks you may be asked to avoid bending the hip too far, crossing your legs and sitting on very low seats or the floor. The exact precautions depend on how the operation was done. Your physiotherapist will show you how to sit, stand, dress and use the toilet safely.

Young, active people have the highest chance of the shoulder dislocating again after the first time. Physiotherapy helps, and surgery to repair the torn tissue is considered when the shoulder keeps slipping out.

No. A frozen shoulder is stiffness of the joint lining, not worn cartilage, and it usually improves with time, physiotherapy and sometimes an injection. Shoulder replacement is for joints damaged by arthritis, some complex fractures, or rotator cuff tears that cannot be repaired.

Sometimes. Pain in the left shoulder or arm that comes with chest discomfort, breathlessness, sweating or nausea can be a heart attack. Call an ambulance on 108 straight away; do not wait for an orthopaedic appointment.

In a reverse shoulder replacement, the ball and socket are swapped, so the ball is fixed to the shoulder blade and the socket to the arm bone. This lets the large deltoid muscle lift the arm when the rotator cuff tendons are badly torn and cannot be repaired.

Yes. Diabetes can slow bone and wound healing and reduce feeling in the foot, so the ankle may need longer protection and closer follow-up. Keeping your blood sugar well controlled helps the fracture heal.

It depends on the fracture. Stable fractures can often take weight in a boot within days. After surgery, many people keep weight off the ankle for around six weeks while the bone heals. Dr. Gadkari will tell you exactly how much weight your ankle can take and when.

The foot and ankle have many small bones, joints and tendons that work together with every step. A surgeon with specialist foot and ankle training is used to telling these problems apart and choosing the treatment that keeps the foot working well for walking, work and sport.

An injection can calm severe heel pain for a while, but it is not the first step and it does not replace stretching, good footwear and time. Dr. Gadkari will discuss whether it is worth it for you.

This is typical of plantar fasciitis. The band of tissue under the foot tightens overnight, so the first steps stretch it painfully. Gentle calf and foot stretches before getting out of bed often help.

Usually not. Many people have a heel spur on X-ray without any pain, and many people with heel pain have no spur. The pain usually comes from the soft tissue under the heel, which is why stretching and footwear changes help.

Most people with a weak ankle improve with a focused balance and strengthening programme. Surgery to tighten or rebuild the outer ankle ligaments is considered when the ankle keeps giving way despite good rehab.

Not always. Some Achilles tears heal well in a special boot with a carefully staged rehab plan. Surgery may be better for active people, late presentations or tears with a large gap. Dr. Gadkari will explain the options and help you choose.

Warm up properly, build strength and balance, increase training gradually, wear the right footwear and finish your rehab even after the pain has gone. A brace or tape can help some ankle and knee injuries.

When the injured part has healed and you have your strength, balance and confidence back, not just when the pain stops. Your physiotherapist can test this. Going back too early is the most common cause of a repeat injury.

Keep it dry, raise the limb to reduce swelling and move your fingers or toes often. Do not push anything inside it to scratch. Go back to hospital urgently if the fingers or toes turn pale, blue, numb or very painful, or if the cast feels too tight.

Most fractures in adults heal in about 6 to 12 weeks, though getting full strength back takes longer. Healing is slower in older people, smokers and people with diabetes, and in some bones such as the shin.

Yes. A fracture from a fall at standing height, especially of the wrist, hip or spine, can be a sign of weak bones. A bone density scan and treatment can lower the chance of another fracture.

Usually not. Most plates, screws and nails stay in for life without causing problems. They are removed only if they cause pain, irritation or infection, or in some younger patients.

Many fractures heal in a plaster, splint or brace. Surgery is more likely when the bone ends are out of place, the break goes into a joint, the bone has come through the skin, or the fracture is in the hip.

You need an X-ray if you cannot take four steps on the injured leg, if a bone is tender to press, or if the joint looks deformed. These can be signs of a fracture rather than a sprain.

Many ligament injuries heal with a brace and physiotherapy. Surgery is considered when a joint keeps giving way, when several ligaments are torn together, or for an active person with a torn ACL in the knee.

A mild sprain often settles in two to three weeks. A more severe sprain, with a partly or fully torn ligament, can take six weeks to three months, and physiotherapy helps prevent the joint from giving way again.

It depends on the tendon. After an Achilles repair, most people return to running and sport between 6 and 12 months, once strength and balance are back. Your physiotherapist will test you before you return.

Sooner is better. Many tendon tears are easiest to repair within the first few days to weeks, before the tendon ends pull back and scar. Older tears can still be treated, but they may need a reconstruction with a tendon graft.

Yes. Regular, gentle exercise strengthens the muscles around the joint, eases stiffness and helps control weight. Walking, cycling, swimming and specific physiotherapy exercises are good choices. Pain that lasts more than an hour or two after exercise means you should do a little less.

Osteoarthritis is wear of the cartilage over time, often in the knees, hips and hands. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joint lining, often in both hands and feet at once, with morning stiffness that lasts a long time. They are treated differently, so the right diagnosis matters.

The evidence for supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin is mixed, and many people notice little difference. They are generally safe, but check with your doctor first, especially if you take blood thinners or have diabetes.

Yes. Gout can also cause a hot, red, swollen and very painful joint. The only way to tell them apart safely is to test fluid drawn from the joint, which is why a doctor should see a suddenly swollen joint promptly.

Treatment usually starts with antibiotics through a drip in hospital, followed by tablets at home. The full course often lasts several weeks. The exact length depends on the germ found and how quickly the joint settles.

It could be. A child who suddenly will not walk, refuses to move a leg or arm, or holds it still, especially with a fever, should be seen in a hospital emergency department the same day.

Bring all previous X-rays, scans and reports, a list of your medicines and allergies, and your health insurance details. A family member is welcome to come with you.

Not necessarily. Many joint and bone problems improve with medicines, physiotherapy, a brace or an injection. Dr. Gadkari starts with the simplest treatment that will work, and recommends surgery only when it will clearly improve your pain and daily life.

It depends on the problem. After a knee or hip replacement, most people walk with a walker within a day or two and walk without support in 6 weeks to 3 months. Most broken bones heal in 6 to 12 weeks. Dr. Gadkari will give you a timeline for your own treatment.

Yes. A good surgeon is comfortable with patients seeking a second opinion before a planned operation. Bring your X-rays, scans and reports so the second doctor can see the full picture.

For most arthritis, waiting is safe; the joint usually wears slowly and you can decide when the pain is affecting your life enough. Some problems should not wait, such as many fractures, tendon ruptures and joint infections. Dr. Gadkari will tell you which applies to you.

Yes, and it often helps. A family member can help remember the advice, ask questions, and plan any treatment or recovery at home.