Computer-Assisted Knee Replacement Surgery Benefits Patients Who Refuse to Take Arthritis Sitting Down
Increasing numbers of younger people are opting for knee replacement, unwilling to take arthritis pain sitting down. S urgical advances such as computer-assisted surgery have made it a viable option for people in their 40s and 50s. The main concern in younger individuals is that the implant will wear out. Although a knee replacement can last 20 years or even longer, it doesn't last forever. However, computer-assisted knee replacement, which makes the surgery ultra-precise, may prolong the life of the artificial joint. The highly advanced, surgeon-controlled MAKO robotic system enables an extremely precise alignment and placement of the implant in patients who are candidates for a partial knee replacement, a less invasive surgery that is possible if the arthritis is limited to just one arthritic area of the knee. Before surgery, CT scans are taken of each patient's knee to assist surgeons in pre-planning the procedure. During su...