Surgeon Offers Custom Knee Replacement Surgery
POSTED: Friday, March 7, 2008
UPDATED: 5:40 pm EST March 7,
2008
Linda Durham of Brighton, Mich., spent years trying to ignore the pain in her knee. Finally, she said she couldn't ignore it anymore."Dr. Kassab said if I didn't do something about it, I would probably fall and break wrists or hips and that would be much worse than replacing a knee," said Durham.Durham was suffering from osteoarthritis in her knee. Dr. Safa Kassab, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, Mich., recommended a total knee replacement using a new technique. It's called a Custom Fit Knee Replacement with OtisKnee."The goal for me when I do a knee replacement is for that replacement to feel very much like their natural knee," said Kassab.Kassab said the custom-fit technique is designed to take into account each patient's unique anatomy."Typically when we do a knee replacement, we take a rod inside the bone, and measure angles off of that and make cuts off of that. This procedure eliminates that," explained Kassab.Instead, surgeons use custom-made blocks to guide their cuts. Each block is designed for an individual patient and thrown away after their surgery.Durham underwent a custom-fit procedure and said the benefits were clear."Less invasive, less cutting, and quicker for the doctor, because he had the pattern that was made only for me," Durham said.Kassab said he's impressed with the results. "Patients are experiencing much quicker recovery, the knee feels more natural to them."Because this procedure is so new, there are some concerns the technique could increase the risk of misalignment or failure. Kassab said ultimately it's up to the surgeon to make sure the knee is properly placed before the patient leaves the operating room. Surgeons still have the option of removing the guides and performing the traditional procedure."I think this is the way medicine is going to move. It is going to become much more individualized, much more specific to the patient," Kassab said.Durham is recovering well and looking forward to being able to do the activities she enjoys."Playing with my grandkids, exercising, going back to the gym, being able to walk in the park, and not have it go out," Durham said. "I expect to be golfing as soon as the weather gets better."To learn more about the procedure, click here.
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