MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA — On October 3, 2026, the Department of Orthopedics at the MH ESI Hospital in Worli shattered expectations by successfully conducting five Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgeries in a single day. While individual joint replacements are common, pulling off five major arthroplasties back-to-back marks an unprecedented operational milestone and a first-of-its-kind feat since the institution's inception in 1965.
Three patients were operated for unilateral knee replacement and the fourth patient was operated for bilateral knee replacement.
Bridging the Gap for Cashless Care
High-end joint replacements in private corporate hospitals often push working-class households into severe financial hardship. This historic drive changed the narrative by seamlessly blending the Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESIS) with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (Ayushman Bharat – PM-JAY). By integrating these state and central welfare networks, the hospital delivered completely cashless, top-tier surgical care to both insured industrial workers and underprivileged citizens under one roof.
"Our goal was to prove that world-class, high-tech orthopedic surgery should not be a luxury reserved only for those who can afford private healthcare. By performing these five complex replacements in a single day, our team demonstrated that with precise coordination, sterile discipline, and unyielding dedication, Maharashtra's public health sector can deliver scalable, life-changing care to the people who need it most. This is just the beginning of what our infrastructure can achieve."
— Dr. Amey Narendra Powar
Medical Superintendent and Head of the Department of Orthopaedics
Precision and Performance Behind the Scenes
An operation of this scale requires absolute clinical mastery and rapid succession. Dr. Amey Powar guided the surgical unit through rigorous preoperative screening and precise biomechanical alignment planning to maximize implant longevity.
The flawless deployment relied on a tightly coordinated core team:
- Dr. Amey Narendra Powar – Medical Superintendent and HOD Orthopedics
- Dr. Sanket Patil – Senior Resident & Assisting Orthopedic Surgeon
- Dr. Dhananjay Wankhede – Fellow & Assisting Orthopedic Surgeon
- Dr Bholanath Gupta-Medical Officer Orthopedics
- Dr. Kiran Vhatkar – Empanelled Consultant Anesthesiologist
- The Unsung Heroes – The Operation Theatre (OT) nursing team, technicians, and assistants who maintained round-the-clock sterile theatre discipline.
Path to Recovery
All four patients are recovering beautifully and have already commenced early mobilization and gait training under supervised physiotherapy protocols.
This monumental achievement was driven by the unwavering logistical support and administrative vision of Hon. Health Minister Shri Prakash Abitkar Saheb, Hon. Principal Secretaries Dr. Nipun Vinayak (IAS) and Shri E. Ravindran (IAS), Hon.ESI Commissioner and C.E.O. Mr. Ramesh Chavan (IAS), Medical Director Dr. Ashok Thorat, and Administrative Director Shri Soham Wayal.
Special thanks also go to Nav Ganesha Sales Corporation for their vital collaboration in turning this milestone into reality.
Worli ESI Hospital has officially set a new benchmark for public sector arthroplasty in Maharashtra, proving that high-volume, high-quality tertiary care is entirely achievable within the public sector.
