x
Breaking News
More () »

A New Kind of Replacement Knee

Anyone with chronic knee pain, who has needed a knee replacement surgery, knows the pain and the suffering that comes with not being able to live their l...

 

Anyone with chronic knee pain, who has needed a knee replacement surgery, knows the pain and the suffering that comes with not being able to live their life the way they want to.  Doctors say traditional knee replacements are safe and very effective, but there's a new kind of knee available they hope will be even better in the long run.

In the case of longtime knee pain and arthritis, knee replacements can be a necessity, according to Dr. Harry Schmaltz, a joint replacement surgeon at Scranton Orthopaedic Specialists in Dickson City.

"There is a fair amount of pain involved the first few weeks, a fair amount of physical therapy necessary. But for the most part it's been a great operation, one of the more successful operations we have in medicine," said Dr. Schmaltz.

Geisinger reconstructive surgeon Dr. Dean Harter echoes that, saying that over the past 20 years or so, 90-to-95% of patients will report that their knee replacement is still working.

"But when we really listen to those patients, there's a subset of about 20% of patients who really aren't satisfied. We've been asking why is that? We believe this may be the answer," said Dr. Harter.

What he's talking about is a new type of replacement knee they both use called the Biomet Vanguard XP.  If you follow sports at all you've likely heard of someone tearing or injuring their ACL.  That stands for anterior cruciate ligament, an important ligament that helps control the way your knee moves and behaves.  In a traditional knee replacement surgery, doctors need to cut the ACL.  The Vanguard XP allows the ACL to stay intact.

Doctors say the new knee doesn't necessarily mean less pain after surgery, or any faster of a recovery.  The benefits are more long term, with patients reporting that the knee feels more natural.

"I'm developing a smaller subgroup of patients who now have the old, normal knee on one side and the new XP on the other side, and they like this one much better," Dr. Harter noted.

"The hope is that's gonna give us a knee after it's been replaced, that feels and works and behaves like a knee that's never been operated on, never had arthritis," said Dr. Schmaltz.

Doctors at Geisinger are doing both XP and traditional knee replacements.  They say whether someone is a candidate is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Before You Leave, Check This Out