Prashanth Hospitals Becomes City’s First To Successfully Heal 500 Patients with Robotic Knee Replacement Surgeries Using 4th Gen Velys Tech
Chennai: In a major advancement for precision-led orthopaedic care, Prashanth Hospitals—one of Chennai’s leading multi-specialty healthcare providers—has become the first in the city to complete over 500 robotic knee replacement surgeries using the state-of-the-art 4th Generation Velys Robotic-Assisted System. This milestone comes at a critical time, as India faces an arthritis epidemic, with over 100 million people affected by the condition. Leading this achievement is Dr. Arumugam S, Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon and Joint Replacement Expert at Prashanth Hospitals, who now ranks among the top five surgeons in India to cross the 500-surgery mark using the 4th Gen Velys system.
Osteoarthritis, especially in the knees, has seen a sharp rise among people over 60 due to sedentary lifestyles, obesity, and aging. According to the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, knee arthritis in India is 15 times more prevalent than in Western nations — making precision-driven treatment essential. This milestone by Prashanth Hospitals sets a new benchmark by enabling anatomically aligned, rotational knee movements that closely mimic natural function—leading to shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery, and patients walking within a day and regaining near-normal mobility in just a month.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Arumugam S, Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon and Joint Replacement Expert at Prashanth Hospitals, said: “India is slowly becoming the arthritis capital of the world—much like it is with diabetes. We’re now seeing younger patients, even in their early 50s, requiring knee replacements. Watching them walk out pain-free within days is a powerful reminder of why this advancement matters. Robotic technology has moved beyond the one-size-fits-all approach. It has enabled me to do patient-specific alignment—something conventional techniques simply can’t offer—resulting in more precise, personalized, and effective knee replacements. As someone who also mentors surgeons across India and Southeast Asia in robotic joint replacement, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how technology is transforming care at every level.”
Once affecting just 1 in 10 senior citizens, arthritis now impacts 3 to 4 out of every 10 Indians over the age of 60—with severe cases increasingly seen in patients as young as their early 40s and 50s. This surge is driven by sedentary lifestyles, obesity, lack of exercise, and prolonged hours of desk-bound work. Women, notably, account for over 75% of the knee replacement cases at Prashanth Hospitals, a trend consistent across the country. Reflecting the broader momentum, the adoption of robotic systems is expanding rapidly—even in Tier 2 and Tier 3, marking a significant step toward more accessible, precise, and patient-specific orthopaedic care.
Dr. Prashanth Krishna, Managing Director of Prashanth Hospitals, shared the broader vision behind this technological advancement: “Being the city’s first to use the latest 4th Gen Velys Robot and successfully complete over 500 robotic knee replacement surgeries marks a major milestone in our commitment to advanced healthcare at Prashanth Hospitals. This is not just about numbers—it’s about helping patients regain mobility and confidence through precision-driven care. Robotic-assisted surgery enables us to replicate natural knee movement with exceptional accuracy, resulting in faster recovery and better long-term outcomes. As robotic adoption grows across India, Prashanth Hospitals remains one of the pioneers in integrating both Velys for orthopaedics and SSI Mantra for soft tissue surgeries, making us one of the few centres in Tamil Nadu to offer multi-specialty robotic capabilities under one roof. Our goal has always been to bring world-class innovation to Chennai, and this achievement reflects our dedication to transforming lives through cutting-edge care.”
