Free Knee Replacement Discussion

While they may all look similar, the truth is that that no two knees are exactly alike. A custom-made knee implant will wear better – and last longer – because it’s made to order.  A number of joint replacement technologies have been developed recently to address the differences in knee anatomy from one person to another.

One technology that has shown promise is Custom Fit Knee Replacement. “Custom Fit Knee Replacement allows the surgeon to match the size and placement of the knee implant to the patient’s unique, pre-arthritic knee anatomy,” said Dr. Anuj Puppala, orthopedic surgeon on staff at Silver Cross Hospital.

Every person’s knee joint has subtle differences in shape and contour, but traditional surgical instruments that are used to place knee implants are one-size-fits all, TruMatch Knee technology uses CT and X-ray images of a patient’s knee to design and build surgical instruments that are customized for a patient’s unique knee anatomy.

“With computer-guided precision, the knee implant is carefully put in place,” adds Dr. Puppala. “That is very important because a misaligned implant can cause pain and instability and will eventually fail.”

During traditional knee replacement surgery, an orthopedic surgeon spends time adapting the patient’s knee to fit the new implant. But with a custom transplant, the surgeon comes to the operating room with surgical instruments engineered exclusively for the patient’s knee and an implant that matches the knee’s dimensions. Benefits of a customized knee replacement also include less pain, a quicker recovery, and a longer-lasting implant for the patient.

What to Expect Prior to surgery, an MRI is performed to take very precise measurements of the patient’s arthritic knee. Then, proprietary computer software creates a 3-D image of that knee and then virtually corrects the deformity to return the knee to its pre-arthritic state.

After this step, a computerized 3-D image of the implant to be used in the patient’s surgery is then “shape-matched” to the anatomically correct virtual knee model. This helps determine the correct implant size and placement based on the patient’s own normal (non-arthritic) knee anatomy. Lastly, using all of this information, special cutting guides are created for the surgeon to use during the procedure.

These patient-specific cutting guides indicate to the surgeon where to make bone cuts so that the knee replacement is customized for the individual patient.    Patients having surgery at Silver Cross  Hospital can also attend joint replacement education.  The free Joints Matter program offers extensive pre-operative education for the patient and their family to enhance faster healing and recovery.  Participants learn exactly what to anticipate after the surgery, the daily expectations of rehabilitation therapy and what they can do to recover more quickly. 

Learn More Join Dr. Anuj Puppala to learn more about Custom Knee Replacements on Monday, September 19 from 6:30 to7:30 p.m. in the Silver Cross Hospital Conference Center, 1200 Maple Rd., Joliet. To attend this free program, register online at www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325).