In the early years, knee replacements were performed by surgeons who “eyeballed” the boney cuts necessary to place knee replacement components. Ideal alignment was difficult to achieve with this technique. The next generation of knee replacements were placed with instruments which attached to patients legs and were inserted into the boney canals. This technique was a major improvement from the earlier technique, but had limitations. Computed assisted surgery was designed to improve the precision by which surgeons could implant knee replacement components even when patients had previous fractures, abnormal anatomy or were overweight.
When using computer assisted surgery, a tracking device is placed in the thighbone (femur) and the leg bone (tibia) and then the leg is taken through a range of motion allowing the computer to define the center of the hip joint and the anatomy of the entire leg. Each boney cut is performed with computer assistance to within ˝ of a degree. Early results show very few complications and improved precision in component placement and limb alignment. This is expected to improve long term survival rates for knee replacements.
About The Knee
Total Knee Replacement
Unicompartmental Knee Replacement
Minimally Invasive Total Knee Replacement
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